F is for
by VeVe2491
Summary: Fat Cakes, fried chicken, fudge and other gloriously good fast food products but ultimately the letter F is only important in regards to one thing; Freddie Benson.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Prologue**

"So, are you scared?"

"I'm a Puckett we don't get scared, remember?"

"You're about to give birth though?"

"So?"

"It's going to be painful."

"Meh, nothing I can't handle."

"You sure? Cause when I had Freddie..."

"Uh! Don't wanna hear it! Those images were enough to scar me for life!"

"Don't be so pathetic."

"I'm not being pathetic. It was absolutely disgusting!"

"Have you thought about what you're going to name your daughters?"

"It's not a girl. The doctor said it was going to be a boy and a girl."

"No, it's a girl. Doctors can be wrong. They are most definitely girls."

"Oh yeah, how can you be so sure?"

"Because Freddie knows."

"Okay, maybe when we get to the hospital we should check you in to the phsyciatric ward because your clearly insane!"

"I'm perfectly sane thank you."

"Clearly not. Do you know why? Because two month old babies can't talk! And unless you can read minds I'm pretty sure you don't know what Freddie thinks."

"Look, it's like this. Whenever Freddie is around a guy he get's fussy, right? But around women he's better. And when we lay him over your stomach he becomes all peaceful and smiley. So, in conclusion, your soon to be born children are girls."

"Yup, it's official."

"What is?"

"Your INSANE!"

"Whatever. So what are you going to name your DAUGHTERS?"

"Once again it's a boy and a girl. I don't know. I was thinking Sam and Melanie."

"That works."

"So your accepting my kid's are a boy and a girl?"

"No, but Sam is a unisex name so it works."

"Ugh! Your really adamant that these kids are girls aren't ya?"

"Yes. I'm adamant it is because I know I'm right."

"I kinda like the name Samantha."

"So you accept I'm right?"

"No, but if you were to be right, then I think I'd go for Samantha and Melanie - Uh Oh."

"What?"

"Either my water just broke or I just peed myself..."

"Oh my..."

"Yeah, oh my. We need to get to the hospital NOW!"

"Pam we're on the bus, what exactly do you expect me to do?"

"I don't know! Something! Anything, before my contractions start. I'm a Puckett so compare mine to yours then times it by ten."

"IS ANYOEN ON THIS BUS A QUALIFIED DOCTOR OR NURSE?"

"Uh hello? Marrissa?"

"Yes Pam?"

"You!"

"Me what?"

"Your a qulified nurse!"

"Oh yes... You ready to give birth to your daughters Pam?"

"AGHHHHH!"

"I'll take that as a yes..."

******** Later that day, at the Hospital ********

"Told you you were having girls."

"Shut up."

"Aren't they cute? They have your blonde hair. And your eyes. I wonder how Freddie will like them?"

"Hopefully a lot their going to be spending a lot of time together."

"Awww, Fredward, Samantha and Melanie. Cute."

"UGh! It sounds so fruity it makes me wanna barf. Freddie, Sam and Melanie."

"Why Melanie? Why not just Mel?"

"Because Freddie and Sam sounds right. Mel on the other hand does not."

"Do you really think their gonna like each other?"

"Ehh. Only time will tell."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter One - 1999**

"Come on Sam we're gonna be late!" The small brunette boy said as he walked down the path.

"Calm down Freddie. We're early, don't worry," The equally small blonde said as she quickened her pace to catch up with her friend.

The September breeze rustled the leaves of the trees that decorated the quiet suburban street.

Freddie Benson loved autumn. He also loved Summer. And Winter. And Spring. In the autumn he loved the crunchy leaves and the mass of oranges, yellows, reds and browns. In Summer he loved the heat and the blazing shine of the sun. Winter Freddie adored how every little snowflake was different. And in spring he loved the baby animals, the pretty little flowers and the April showers. Freddie Benson loved it all.

Unlike Sam who simply didn't care. Her favourite season was Spring because it was the season which her birthday was in, and birthdays meant presents. Of course, Winter had Christmas and that meant presents to, but Sam hated the cold, so that ruled out the winter.

Sam soon caught up with her friend, Freddie took her tiny hand in his and they continued walking down the street.

Pam Puckett and Marissa Benson smiled at their children walking hand in hand ahead of them. The friendship was so sweet at this age.

The moment the foursome entered the park gates, Sam and Freddie bolted for the swings only to be grabbed back by their mothers who slapped sun screen all over them.

Sun screen was another thing Freddie Benson loved. It smelled like coconuts and reminded him of the beach. Sam did not mind sun screen as it stopped her skin from becoming damaged but he did not love the stickiness of it, nor did he like the fact that it cut down his playing time.

The moment the two women released the children, Sam and Freddie made a mad dash for the swing set. The park was surprisingly empty for a breezy, sunny day like today, but then again it was nine in the morning on a Sunday, and anyone with sense would still be asleep.

"Bet I can go higher than you," Sam challenged.

"Nu-uh."

"Yu-huh."

"Nu-uh."

"Yu-huh."

"Nu-uh."

"Yu-huh."

"Nu-uh."

"Nu-uh."

"Yu-huh."

"Ha! Gotcha!" Freddie laughed triumphantly.

Sam scowled but carried on swinging, desperately trying to get higher and higher.

Somedays Sam and Freddie would play areoplanes on the swings. They would pretend they were soaring high over oceans and mountains. They would pretend they were being chased by spies and they had to fly higher and higher so they could escape. Today wasn't one of those days.

Sam stopped swinging suddenly and sat staring intently at the tarmac under her shoes, a small frown on her face.

Freddie slowed down and looked at his best friend.

"What's wrong Sam?"

She didn't say anything for a moment or two, but she finally she looked up from the ground and looked at the boy beside her. "I'm scared."

"Of what?" He said, feeling confused. What reason did Sam have to be scared? She most crazy, random, fearless girl he knew! Well, she was the only girl he knew, excluding his Mom, Pam, and Grandma.

"I don't wanna go to school tomorrow..."

Freddie didn't say anything, he sat and listened intently.

"Do you think the teacher will be nice?" Sam asked.

"Teachers are always nice, like policeman or doctors," Freddie told her.

Neither of the pair said anything for a while. Sam sat tugging at the end of her blue 'Pauly And Pals' t-shirt, "What would Pauly do?"

"You sound like Pauly."

"Do not!"

"You do to when you do the voice!"

Sam laughed her eyes shining, "I wanna watch 'Pauly And Pals'!" And on that note she ran across the fresh green grass and ran towards the bench Pam and Marissa were sat chatting on. Freddie got up from the swing and hurried after her.

"Here comes the bus!" Sam sqealed, whatever fear she had yesterday had evaporated and she was now excited about school. "Bye Mommy!" She called, turning and waving at Pam and Marissa who were stood at the end of the street watching their children. Pam waved back and wiped a proud tear from her eye. Sam turned back to Freddie and said, "Mommy wanted to hold my hand but I said no way."

"I'm scared Sam," Freddie confessed, looking in to Sam's ocean blue eyes.

"Me too..." Sam whispered.

As the children all filed onto the bus for their first day of kin kindergarten, Sam reached for Freddie's hand and held it tight. If anybody laughed at them she would make them sorry.

Sam and Freddie entered their new classroom and stood in awe at the wonderful room filled with pictures, colours and other wonderful things galor.

A woman with white blonde hair instructed them to find a seat at a table and sit down.

Sam made a bee line for a desk near the back of the room and Freddie quickly snagged the seat next to her.

Sam and Freddie sat in silence for a moment. Neither quite sure what to do.

Freddie couldn't deny the panicky feeling that was pulsating throughout his veins. This happened when he was scared or nervous and right now, it was both. The feeling soon went away when he noticed Sam scoot her chair a little closer to his. A smile appeared on his face and he looked over at his friend, knowing that there was nothing to be afraid of.

They soon learned the woman with the white blonde hair was their teacher, Mrs Lowe. Mrs Lowe intorduced herself to the class then askled them all to do the same. She went through them one by one then she got to Sam and Freddie's table.

"Okay Samantha, it's your turn to introduce yourself to your peers," The smile on Mrs Lowe's face was sickly sweet and it showed of her large pearly white teeth.

Freddie looked at his friend. She was sat there frozen in fear. This was not the Sam Puckett he had know his entire life. He was going to help her, "Sam. Sammy. Come on. Your brave Sam. If you can do it so can I."

Sam looked at him and he finally saw the terrified look in her bright blue eyes. He knew what he had to do.

"Mrs Lowe?"

"Yes... Fredward?"

"Can I intoruce myself before Sam, please?" There is nothing wrong with manners, is what his mother had told him. Freddie agreed, he had also learned that manners get you a lot further in life than no manners.

"Sure, but once we're done with you we're going back to Samantha."

"Okay," Freddie stood up from his seat and the class looked at him expectantly. "My name is Fredward Benson but I like Freddie better. I live in Bushwell Plaza with my Mommy. My Daddy died when I was little because he was very sick. But my Mommy tells me that he loved me very much. Which is good because I loved him lot! My favourite colour is blue and my favourite animal is a duck. I love Galaxy Wars because it's so cool! And... my bestest friend in the world is called Sam. She's sitting by there, look. She's awesome but kind of annoying when she steals my food," Freddie finished, a proud beam on his face.

"Well done Freddie! I'll be over in a minute to give you a sticker but we have to listen to Samantha first."

Freddie took his seat and turned to Sam, "See Sam. I did it, and so can you! Your the bravest person I know!" He smiled at her and one look at his smile made Sam smile.

Sam with a small smile on her face got up slowly from her seat and looked at the other kids in her class. Taking a deep breath she spoke, "My name is Samantha Puckett, but you better call me Sam. I live just down the street with my Mom, I haven't seen my Dad since I was little he just left one day. But oh well, Mom says he's a deadbeat anyway. My favourite colour is red and I love pigs! And meat cause it tastes really nice! I also love fried chicken! Ham is my favourite. My bestest friend in the world is Freddie. He spoke before me so you just saw him. He's cool and he gives me food," Sam looked over at Freddie and he gave her a thumbs up, Sam grinned and looked back at Mrs Lowe.

"Well done Sam! I'll be over to give you and Freddie your stickers now."

Sam sat down next to Freddie and he hugged her, "Well done Sammy," He whispered.

"Thanks Freddie," She said hugging him back.

Once Mrs Lowe had given them their stickers, she started handing out paper and paints, "Okay class. We're gin to paint our favourite things."

"Sam, what are you painting?" Freddie asked as he dipped his paint brush in water.

"A pig," She grinned. "What are you gonna paint?"

"I don't know..." Freddie said, but a smirk soon formed on his lips.

"What?"

"I know what I'm gonna draw."

"What are you gonna draw?"

"Wait and see..."

"Freddie!" Sam whined.

"No your not seeing it 'til it's done," Freddie told her, poking his tongue out teasingly at her.

"Fine, then you can't see what I'm drawing 'til I'm done!" Sam said trunig her chair away from him.

"Sam, I already know what your drawing," Freddie pointed out.

Sam merely stuck her tongue out at him and continued her painting.

"Hey kids how was school?" Marissa asked as the two kids walked into the Benson's apartmment.

"It was really good. We did painting!" Freddie beamed.

"Yeah! But Freddie was being mean and he won't let me see his painting!" Sam pouted.

Freddie grinned and ran off into his room, Sam charged off after him.

Marissa laughed at the two kids and called after them "Dinner will be ready soon. We're having Ham Sam!"

Freddie ran into his room and onto the bed, Sam following close behind.

Freddie's room was decorated with mostly Galaxy Wars stuff. Sam liked it because it was a fun room. She stayed over the Benson's most weekends and she and Freddie would watch Galaxy Wars at night. Sam loved the Red Skynauts whilst Freddie's favourite character was Nug Nug.

"Freddie! Show me your picture!"

"Fine!"

"Fine? Fine? Your giving up that easily?"

"No, I planned on giving it to you when we got home anyway cause I painted it for you, but I got scared you might lose it. Mommy says it's nice to give presents to the people you care about. And I care about you so here," Freddie handed her the painting.

Sam looked down at the picture before her and smiled. Freddie was proud of his drawing, it was something fabulous that he took great pride in being able to achieve. Freddie had chosen just the right shades of colours. And Sam knew instantly who was on the painting. It was her and Freddie. With the words Best Friends written carefully above. Marissa had noticed Freddie advancing academically from a young age and had encouraged him in reading and writing. Sam couldn't write a lot yet. She could write her name, Freddie's name, ham and pig, along with a few other words.

Sam looked up at her friend a smile on her face, she lunged towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Thank you," She whispered.

Freddie kissed her cheek, and Sam blushed.

"What was that for?"

"That's what people do in the movies when they care about each other. They kiss,"

"Yeah, but don't they do that on the mouth?"

"Well, yeah, but that's just yucky."

Sam giggled and kissed Freddie's cheek, "Your such a dork."

**** Author's Note ****

**Hey Guys! Hope your enjoying this story! It's my first iCarly fanfic in a while.**

**For anyone who can guess the 'Pauly and Pals' referance you shall get a special shout out next chapter :D**

**Peace Out Suckahs!**

**Evie xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter One - 2002**

"Sam! Come on," Freddie groaned at the blonde before him.

"I don't wanna!" She whined.

"Sam you have to come to class!"

"I don't want to!"

"Why?"

"I don't like Mrs Roberts. She's gonna give me detention again!"

"She won't if you behave!"

"Like that's gonna happen," Sam snorted.

Freddie rolled his eyes and took Sam's soft hand and led her towards the class room. Sam couldn't resist when Freddie did this. Why? Because it was just one of those things.

They soon got to their third grade class, and Freddie took charge in apologising to their teacher, "Sorry we're late Mrs Roberts. I dropped my books and Sam was helping me pick them up." Freddie didn't usually condone lying but for Sam he would tell a world of lies.

"Okay. Take your seats," Mrs Roberts said in her brittle voice.

Sam had already sat down at her desk and Freddie quickly slipped into his desk next to her.

Mrs Roberts turned back to the book before her and she took the class register. They began the lesson soon after. Sam was not the smartest in the class but she got good grades. Why? Because Freddie helped her. Freddie was the genius child of the class and Sam on the other hand was not. If Freddie saw Sam struggling he would drop his work and help her. Teachers could try and explain the work to her but her mind could make no sense of it, but when Freddie expalined it she suddenly understood.

The maths lesson began and Sam sat and attempt her work. She looked over at Freddie who was flying through the questions. Freddie looked up at her and smiled and mouthed, "Need help?"

"Nah, I'm good," Sam mouthed back and she shot him a grateful smile.

Freddie nodded and turned back to his work.

The lesson was nearly over when there was a knock on the door and every head in the room looked up from their work and towards the door.

The school secretary stood there with a small girl with dark brown hair and eyes. She was wearing a blue dreess and had her arms cradled around her books. The girl looked nervous and Sam could understand that, she remembered how she felt on her first day of kindergarten.

Mrs Roberts smiled and welcomed the girl into the class, the secretary left after making sure the girl was taken by Mrs Roberts. "Class this is the new girl Carlotta Shay. Carlotta care to introduce yourself?"

The girl nodded and looked out at her fellow classmates, "Hi. I'm Carly Shay. I just moved here from Yakima. I live with my brother Spencer, he's twenty one, which means he's thirteen years years older than me. He's an artist. My Dad, is a colonel in the U.S. Navy, which is pretty cool. My best friend Missy, her dad is in the Navy to but he got stationed in Florida and my dad got stationed here so I won't get to see her much now. I love pink and I've always wanted a cat but my Dad's allergic so we can't get one."

"Class say hello to Carly," Mrs Roberts said.

"Hello Carly," The class said in unison.

"Okay Carly, you can take that seat there in front of Freddie."

Carly walked forward then paused, "Um... whose Freddie?"

Freddie waved at her, "I am."

"Cool," Carly smiled warmly at him and sat down.

The bell rang to signle lunch and the class began packing up their things.

"Freddie..." Sam began as she got up fronm her desk and stood next to Freddie who was still packing up his things.

"You need lunch money don't you?"

"Well, yeah... kinda."

Freddie shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out some money,"Here. It's a good thing my Mom gives me money for you now to."

Sam grinned, "Thanks Fredward. Come on let's go to lunch," Sam walked passed Carly and towards the door.

Freddie walked behind her, "Sam, you kow I've got an AV Club meeting."

"Freddie!" Sam whined. "Why did you have to join the AV club?"

"Because I like it," He said as they walked down the hallway. "You'd like it to. Why don't you join?"

"I might... but not today. Moma's hungry," She grinned.

"Okay. The meeting should be over in thrity minutes, then I'll meet you outside in our place, yeah?"

"You know it!"

"See ya Sammy," Freddie smiled hugging her.

"Later Fredward," She said hugging him close.

They released each other and Freddie entered the AV room sending one last dazzling smile towards Sam. The moment he was gone Sam realised that she wasn't exactly sure what to do now. Sam was always with Freddie. Always! She didn't have many other friends. Well, she did, but none like Freddie. Okay, so there was Gibby. She and Freddie sometimes hung out with him, but Sam liked it better when it was just her and Freddie. Besides Gibby was out sick to day so he was no use.

Sam sighed and made her way to the cafeteria.

Fifteen minutes, and two meatball subs later and Sam was still hungry. Or at least she thought she was. There was something missing and she had put it down to hunger. Sam walked outside onto the playground, before her was a large jungle gym, a swing set, the softball fiel and lots of other stuff. To her left was an area of tables at which kids were loitering on, talking, eating their lunch and what not.

Sat on her own eating her lunch was the new girl, Carly.

Sam walked over and introduced herself, "Hey I'm Sam."

The girl looked up at her sandwich in hand, "Hi I'm Carly."

Sam looked at the sandwich and licked her lips, "Can I have that sandwich?"

"No way! Get your own."

So Sam did. She took the girl's sandwich and pushed her off her seat.

"OW!" But Carly Shay knew how to stand her ground. Getting up quickly she grabbed back her sandwich and pushed Sam out of her seat.

Sam got up from the floor, dusting herself off. She was shocked this new girl had stood up to her. "Your alright kid," she smiled in respect, before she sat down next to her.

In the next fifteen minutes Carly Shay and Sam Puckett learnt a lot about each other. Like, Carly lived across the hall from Freddie.

Sam looked down at her watch and gasped. She was ten minutes late for Freddie.

"What is it?" Carly asked in a concerned voice.

"Nothing, I just... I gotta go! But I'll see you in class," She said as she hoped off the table.

"Wait! Do you wanna come over after school?" Carly asked.

"Uh - Sure," Sam smiled and then she hurried away.

She finally made it. Their special place was a shaded area under two trees, it had been Sam and Freddie's place ever since first grade, they spent every lunch there and most recess'.

Freddie was sat down under the trees, all alone. He looked kinda weird on his own. Any other kid on the playground would know how weird this was, because Sam and Freddie were always together. Neither was ever alone because they had each other.

"Hey," Sam said quietly as she walked towards him.

Freddie didn't say anything and waited until Sam was sat down beside him, "Where've you been?"

"Around, " Sam shrugged.

Freddie looked hurt, she could see it in his eyes. He fiddled with the grass and pulled strips of it out of the ground. "Oh."

"I'm sorry I was late Freddie. I went to get food from the cafeteria, but I still felt hungry, so I tried to still Carly's food but she wouldn't let me and we ended up talking. We're friends now."

More hurt. Freddie nodded and continued to play with the grass.

"But your stilll my best friend Freddie!" Sam cried.

Freddie looked up at her, the hurt in his eyes slowly diappearing. "Really?"

"Yes really!" Sam wrapped her arms around his shoulders but Freddie removed her and pulled her in for a proper hug.

Sam kissed his cheek and Freddie returned it.

They sat on the grass in a comfortable silence, Sam's head resting on Freddie's shoulder, and Freddie playing with a daisy he had picked. And that is how they stayed. At least until the end of lunch.

"BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

"Okay class dissmissed," Mrs Roberts stated.

The class packed up and began leaving and heading home.

Sam was packing up her things when Carly turned to her, "Hey Sam. You ready?"

"Yeha, I'm just packing up my stuff, which you can see... so I don't really understand why I'm telling you..."

Carly giggled.

Freddie looked at Sam and sent her a confused look.

"Oh, Carly this is Freddie. Freddie, Carly."

"Hi," Freddie waved.

"Hey," Carly smiled.

"Carly lives across the hall from you Freddie," Sam explained.

"Oh cool," Freddie smiled. "Anyways, we gotta get going. Come on Sam."

"I thought you were coming over my place today?" Carly asked Sam.

"I am."

"You are?" Freddie asked shocked.

"Yeah, but I can walk with the both of you."

"Okay, come on," Carly smiled and headed towards the door.

"Come on Fredward," Sam said softly to Freddie before following Carly.

Freddie trailed slowly behind, not enjoying having to share his best friend with the new girl.

Freddie soon caught up with the girls, he didn't say much, he just listened to them talk. Usually when they walk home Sam and Freddie hold hands. Not today. For two reasons. One, Freddie was annoyed with Sam. Two, Sam didn't even attempt to hold his hand which just annoyed Freddie further.

They finally reached the eighth floor of Bushwell Plaza and they stood between the two apartments.

"Sam you coming in?" Carly asked as she opened the door.

"Sure," Sam said.

"You wanna come Freddie?" Carly asked politely.

"No thanks, I have homework."

"Okay. I'm gonna do mine later. See you Freddie," Carly smiled as she entered her apartment.

"Me to," Sam nodded.

Freddie knew that Sam wouldn't do her homework unless he was there to do it with her. And Sam was with Carly now which meant the homework would be left and Sam would get detention tomorrow.

Sam followed Carly inside without one glance towards Freddie.

The small boy, felt as though she had just ripped up his heart. He felt abandoned. He entered apartment 8-D, his heart feeling torn, and his expression full of gloom.

"Hey," A voice from behind him said quietly.

"Hey Sam," He replied, no emotion was evident in his voice and this scared Sam.

"Still doing your homework?" She asked timidly.

"Nope."

"Oh, cool."

"How was Carly's?" He asked, jealousy now surging through his veins like fire.

"It was good. Her brother is pretty awesome. He's an artist. We hung out but then she had to do her homework so I left."

"Cool."

"Freddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me with my homework?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Sam pulled her homework out of her book bag and sat down beside Freddie on his bed.

"What time you going home?" He asked.

"I don't know. I'll ask your Mom now and see if my Mom called," Sam said, hoping back off the bed and out of the room.

Slowly Freddie was calming down but he was still annoyed at Sam.

Sam skipped back into the room and jumped on the bed, "I'm staying here tonight."

"Kay. Let's do your homework then."

After fourty minutes, the homework was done.

They sat in silence before Sam spoke up, "Freddie, how come...well, why are you being so nice to me? I was horrible to you today. I thought you hated me."

"I don't hate you, I could never hate you. It's just... well, you annoyed me."

"I've annoyed you lot's of times. But you've never looked at me the way you did today. You looked like you wanted to kill me."

"I didn't wanna kill you."

Sam looked confused and then realisation hit her, "Oh my gosh! You wanted to kill Carly!"

"Sam, your exaggerating."

"No, I'm not."

"Ugh! Sam, look. I dno't hate her. I just don't like her."

"Why not?"

"Because she's stealing my best friend, okay?"

"I told you, your my - "

Yeah, yeah. I know. But ever since I can remeber we've been best friends. Me and you. Even when Melanie was here it was me and you. I was there for you when Melanie left. I was there for you when your dad flounced back in and then back out of your life. I'm here for you all the time and you ditched me for Carly. You didn't even say goodbye to me earlier Sam," Freddie let all his emotions out at once.

"Freddie..."

"I just don't wanna lose my best friend," Freddie sighed lying back onto his galaxy wars covers.

"I love you Freddie. Your my best friend. Nothing is ever going to get in the way of that. Nothing. Not Carly. Not my Mom. Not your Mom. Not anything. Cause it's me and you. We're a team."

Sam wasn't expecting it when Freddie nearly tackled her to the ground with a hug but her arms instinctively returned the embrace to pull Freddie in tighter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter Three - 2005**

"Sam, pass me an apple?" Freddie asked from the the couch.

"Red or green?"

"Green - OW! What was that for?" Freddie cried in pain for Sam had just thrown an apple at him. "I said to pass not throw!"

"Eh," Sam shrugged as she sat down next to him on his couch. "What we watchin'?"

"Celebrities Underwater."

"I've seen this one. Change the channel?"

"No Sam, it's my TV, so I get to pick."

"Change the channel Nub."

"No."

"Freddie!" Sam whined.

"I'm watching it. It's almost over."

"I'm changin the channel," Sam said as she clamored over Freddie to snatch the remote.

"Sam!" Freddie yelled trying to grab for the remote but she held it out of his reach. "Fine but at least put something good on."

"Mexican Food channel?" Sam asked as she flicked through the TV stations.

"Sure. What time did Carly say she was coming over?"

"I don't know," Sam shrugged.

Freddie rolled his eyes and pulled out his pear phone.

**To: Carly From Freddie Hey :) You coming over later? I wanna see you before you head to camp for the summer :) Xx**

"Watcha' doing?" Sam said peering over his shoulder.

"Texting Carly."

"Why?"

"To find out when she's coming over."

"Okay. Freddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you gonna miss Carly while she's at camp?" Sam said sitting up properly in her seat.

"Yeah, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but theres something I wanna ask you?"

"And that would be...?"

"Do you... well, do you have a crush on Carly?" Sam asked. This was something Sam had been curious about for quite some time. This was why she hadn't wanted Carly and Freddie to get close cause as selfish as it may sound Sam didn't want to share Freddie.

"I - Well... I... um..." Freddie stammered. Did he have a crush on Carly? He'd never really thought about it before. When he had met Carly he had hated her on instinct because he didn't want to share Sam. Then he got to know Carly and he liked her more and more. The more he got along with Carly, the less he got along with Sam. It was weird because they had both sworn to each other countless times before that nothing would ever ruin their friendship, and he wasn't saying that Carly was ruining their friendship, but something was.

"Well?" Sam said impatiently.

Freddie honestly didn't know. Freddie Benson had never had a crush before. He'd never really felt anything strong for any girls other than his mother, Sam, Melanie and Carly, and that was different. His Mom was his Mom and he loved her to bits, even if she was a little bit crazy. Melanie had been one of his first friends and he loved her like a sister. And Carly and Sam were his best friends so of course he loved them. Though Sam was his real best friend not Carly. But he loved Carly all the same. But did he love her more than that? She didn't make him feel anything weird. No butterflies or sparks like there are in the movies.

"Well, I - " Thankfully Freddie didn't have to finish that sentence because Carly skipped through the door and into the room.

"Hey guys," She smiled, her pearly white teeth gleaming as she did so.

"Sup?" Sam acknowledged.

"Hey Carly," Freddie smiled back. He felt weird know. Was that because he was thinking about feeling weird over Carly? Or was he generally feeling weird over her?

"Freddie are you blushing?" Carly asked as she sat down in the chair beside the couch.

"What? No!"

"I think you are, your cheeks have gone all pink," Carly giggled.

"No they haven't!"

Sam quickly jumped in before Carly could embarass Freddie further. "So Carls, what time you leaving?"

Carly looked down at her pink bedazzled wrist watch, "Um, 'bout ten minutes."

Sam nodded, "Cool. So when do you get back from this Cheerleading camp?" She asked leaning back into the couch.

"In a month."

The trio watched the Mexican food channel until Carly's phone vibrated. Telling her it was time to go.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," Carly said, a sad expression on her face.

"Same here Carls," Sam said standing up.

"Try to be good for Freddie."

"I'm not gonna make promises I can't keep. Bye Carls," Sam smiled sadly, hugging her friend. "Text me when you get there?"

"Sure. I'm gonna miss you Freddie," Carly said turning towards Freddie who was sat watching the two girls before him.

"I'm gonna miss you too," Freddie said getting up and taking a step closer to the brunette. "A lot."

"Same," Carly said following and stepping closer still.

"I'll see you in a month though," Freddie smiled.

"Yeah. And I'll text you," She got closer.

Their faces were inches apart.

"Good. And we can e-mail," Freddie said moving forward slightly.

"And maybe you could come down at the end of the month and watch the show," Carly said hopefully.

"And you'll have me to look after you Fredwart!" Sam said enthusiastically, as she jumped between the pair in her effort to split them apart and end this little moment. No one got moments with Freddie except her. He was her best friend after all.

"Yes, I'll have you Sam," Freddie chuckled. "Bye Carls," Freddie said pulling the girl in for a hug.

"Bye Freddie," Carly whipsered before kissing him softly on the cheek. With one last wave she left apartment 8-D.

Freddie turned towards Sam who had a slight frown on her face and grinned, "What? Upset cause you didn't get one Puckett?"

"What?" Sam jumped from her thoughts.

"If you wanted a hug all you had to do was ask."

"Gross why would I want a hug from you?" It wasn't that she didn't want a hug from Freddie, trust me, she did. It was just that after watching the scene that had just unraveled before her, hugging Freddie just didn't seem right. Besides if she did hug him, she wouldn't be able to let go through fear of him running off. "You might have cooties!" Sam sneered.

"What are you six?" Freddie snorted. "Wait, you can't be cause at six you loved my hugs."

"I liked a lot of things a six."

"Yeah, like playing princesses," Freddie teased.

"Shut up! Like you said, I was six."

"What? You were a cute princess."

Sam could feel her cheeks begining to burn.

"Aww, is little Princess Puckett blushing?" Freddie smirked.

"Cram it dork!" She said turning away from him to avoid his gaze.

"Aww Sam theres nothing to be embarassed about. Like I said you were a cute princess."

"Yeah well, you were an ugly prince," She said poking her tongue out at him.

"Fuinny... I seem to recall you saying I was a charming prince."

"I wonder what happened?" Sam said, pretending to ponder the thought.

"I got a lot more charming and handsome?"

"Puh - lease dork. Keep dreaming."

"I think I shall."

"Fine."

"Whatever."

"Okay."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"Fine, I will."

"Go ahead."

"I will."

"You don't appear to be doing anything."

"That's because I'm low on energy. Moma needs food!"

"What do you want?"

"Fat cakes! And fries. And a burger. And a smoothie."

"Come on then. Groovy Smoothie it is."

"I don't get why Carly hates that place."

"Neither do I. It's pretty cool. Come on, then. Grab your jacket Sam. Your not leaving with out it."

"Freddie!" She whined. "It's summer!"

"I don't care it could get chilly later."

"I'm not wearing one."

"Then we're not going to the Groovy Smoothie."

"Ugh! Fine!"

Freddie and Sam left the aprtment and headed out of Bushwell Plaza. Begining their short walk to the Groovy Smoothie.

"So what do you want to do this summer?" Freddie asked as they walked down the street.

"Eat, go to the park, watch TV, see some movies, go bowling, etc. You?"

"I don't mind. But whatever we do I assume I'm paying?"

"Heck yeah," The petit blonde grinned.

Freddie chuckled and held out the door so she could enter the smoothie shop.

"Freddie!" Sam whined. "I'm bored."

Freddie looked over at the girl sprawled out on the couch, "So get up and go do something."

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because..."

"Because what?"

"Because..."

"You don't have a valid reason do you?"

"Bleh!"

"Nyaaahh!"

The summer had been a hot one. It had aslo been the first summer inthree years Sam and Freddie had got to spend alone without the presence of Carly. And although neither of them would admit it and even though they both loved Carly, they were both happy to just have the other.

"So what you wanna do today?" Freddie asked, but then added quickly, "Other than eat."

Sam pouted, "You know I do more than eat."

"Yeah, you abuse me!" Freddie poked his tongue out at the girl making her pout more.

Freddie's phone vibrated in his pocket and he quickly checked the message, Sam leant over to read along with him.

**To: Freddie From: Carly** **Hey! :) I'm back in a couple of days. I'm sorry you couldn't come down to watch the final show :( But Spencer filmed it so you and Sam can watch when I get back. Which did I mention is in a couple of days! I really missed you and Sam! I can't wait to see you! Text ya later :) Xx**

"Cool. Carly's back soon and then you can finally stop raiding my fridge and get back into the routine of raiding Carly's instead," Freddie joked, though this was untrue. Sam had always stolen from his fridge. Before Carly and now after. He kinda didn't want Carly to come back so soon. He felt like himself again. Like he did when it was just him and Sam. He was going to miss that feeling. And though she would nevere admit it Sam was feeling the exact same way.

Sam laughed half-heartedly. "You know, you never answered my question."

"What question?" Freddie asked puzzled.

"Do you like Carly?"

"Well, duh Sam. I like you too. Your my best friends."

"No you nub! I meant do you like like her?"

"Oh," Freddie said, because he was unsure of what to say next. Did he like Carly? "I don't know," He shrugged. "You want a fat cake?"

"Sure," Sam nodded as Freddie stood up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. Sam wasn't hungry but a familiar empty feeling had come upon her and she put it down to a hunger of sorts.

Whilst Freddie was in the kitchen it gave Sam a short while to think. Of course Freddie liked Carly. There was no way he didn't. All the guys in their class did. Even Gibby! But then again, Freddie isn't all the guys. He's Freddie. And he's different. But that doesn't nessacairly mean anything when it comes down to Carly Shay. Don't get her wrong, Carly was Sam's best (female) friend and she wouldn't be without her but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Carly when she got attention from the guys in school. Especially when she got attention from Freddie. That shot a seemingly never ending feeling of devestation burning through Sam's body. Sam loved Freddie. In a totally platonic way of course. At least she thinks it's platonic...

"One fat cake for the lovely Princess Puckett," Freddie said in a shamefully pompous voice.

"You dork. I'd throw this fat cake at you but I love it to much to subject it to the horror of coming into contact with you."

"Technically I've already touched it,," Freddie pointed out.

Sam couldn't argue with that so instead she just ate the fat cake in silence, whilst she tried to quieten her ever so loud thoughts. Sometimes her thoughts were so loud she wondered if other people could hear them. When she was younger Freddie used to be able to finish her sentences or know what she was thinking even though she hadn;t said anything. Freddie said it was because he knew her all to well, Sam believed it was because her thoughts were so loud.

"When does your Mom get back from work?" Sam asked after she swallowed her last bite of fat cake goodness.

"Um... in an hour or so. Why?"

"Cause I need a ride back home."

"Aren't you staying here tonight?"

"I was gonna but I need to um... clean my room," Sam lied.

Ordinarily Sam Puckett was one of the greatest liars to grace Seattle but due to her thoughts making her sound so weird and Freddie being Freddie, he worked out pretty darn quickly that she was lying.

"Clean your room? Seriously? Is that the best you got? Please Sam, the day you clean your room is the day - "

"You grow leg hair?" Sam offered.

Freddie rolled his eyes at the girl, "Now, wanna tell me the real reason?"

"I just wanna go home is all," Sam shrugged looking at her sneakers.

"You sure? I rented the new Galaxy Wars movie. We could watch it tonight..." Freddie tempted.

"I don''t know..."

Freddie lept up from the couch and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him in a warm embrace, and she nuzzled comfortably into his neck. "Sam you know you can tell me anything. So quit acting so weird and tell me what's up."

Sam mumbled into his neck and pulled him tighter to her petit frame.

"I love you Sammy," He whispered.

"Love you to Fredward," She whispered back.

He knew that this was a weird way of getting her to stay, but it was a successful way and to be quite honest, it was a way Freddie enjoyed.

**** Author's Note ****

**Hey guys! :)**

**Thanks for the wonderful reviews so far. They're awesome!**

**And my special shout out goes to - Bigdanfan for getting the 'Pauly and Pals' reference right first! Congratulations... your prize? I don't know! But I'll work something out!**

**Incase you guys haven't noticed I'm a huge SWAC fan! ^_^**

**Anywho, Peace Out Suckahs!**

**Evie Xx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter Four - 2008**

**1st September.**

"Who does picture day on the first day of school?"

"A lot of places do, Sam." Freddie glanced around the auditorium, taking in freshmen from all walks of life. Most of them, he imagined, are as terrified as him.

"But by the time the yearbook comes out you look totally different, like high school changes you or something." Carly said, hugging her books to her chest. "It's not gonna change us, though. Right, guys?"

"Ugh! I'm hungry!" Sam complained, ignoring Carly's question.

"When are you not?" Freddie snorted before opening his back pack and pulling out a Fat Cake. "Here."

"Thanks Nub," Sam says, snatching the fat cake from Freddie's hand.

Carly rolls her eyes at her friends. Somethings will never change. "So where are we meeting for lunch? I say whoevere gets to the cafeteria first saves a table."

"Whatever," Sam grunts . "As long as I gets me some food I don't care."

"You just ate a whole fat cake how can you possibly still be hungry?" Carly asked.

Sam shrugs at her friend. She had had this hungry feeling now for quite sometime. It had come around just after Carly had come back from cheerleading camp three summers ago and it had never really left. Sam hated remembering that day. It was the day Freddie had confessed his undying love for Carly. The mere thought made her want to vomit.

"Here," Freddie said ad he pulled another Fat Cake from the depths of his bag.

Sam snatched it from his hand once again, though this time she says nothing. She's too annoyed to be polite.

"You know most people are polite when someone gives them food," Freddie frowns.

"I ain't most people Fredlumps, now cram it," Sam says as she takes a large bite out of her fat cake.

Freddie opens his mouth to retort but Sam beats him to it by dumping her fat cake packaging down his pants and storming off out of the auditorium.

*********** **5th September** *************

Sam and Freddie had not spoken in five days. Which for them felt like an eternity. Granted it was not as long as the time Sam had ignored him after his confession of love for Carly but for them five days was forever.

"Hey, you invited the doof," Sam said as she walked in carrying her skybucks coffee. She didn't even like coffee but she need something, anything to fill this empty hole inside of her.

"Sam..." Carly began.

"Aw, man! I didnt know that was gonna be here!" Freddie whined. Freddie was annoyed with Sam. She had ignored him for five days and hadn't even told him what he'd done that was so wrong. Part of him was happy Sam was here, he had hopd that maybe they could reconcile but the other part was still annoyed with her and was refusing to give in.

"She. I am a she, Freddie, as in girl," Sam said raising her voice slightly. Her rage was increasing more and more. She was so irked right now. How could he call her 'that'? They were best friends, and best friends didn't refer to each other as 'that'! What hurt more was that whilst he was pining away after Carly all she could do was sit and watch as she lost her best friend.

They carried on arguing until Sam said what she knew would hurt him most, "Ahem... Carly will never love you."

And as predicted she was right. "THAT'S IT! I'm takin' my stuff and goin' home!" Freddie exploded.

But Carly being Carly stepped up to bat and fixed the issue, "Please stay."

"Okay," Freddie said a goofy smile appearing on his lips.

That was it, 'please stay' and he stayed? What the heck was this kindergarten? No, it wasn't. Because in kindergarten Freddie was Sam's and Sam was Freddie's, there was no issue with sharing.

Sam thought she was going to throw up. She could feel her stomach twisting and turning into knots. Hopefully this would all be over soon.

******** 8th September ******

It had been one crazy couple of days. Sam had had barely any time to think. But now it was all over and she was sat laying on her bed looking up at the ceiling.

The web cast had gone great as had the after party.

She had replayed the webshow over again in her head. Though there was one part she kept coming back to.

_"Okay, this first kid we're gonna show you can take a glass of milk..." Carly started enthusiams partically dripping from her voice._

_"This is so deliciously gross..." Sam interuptted grinning manically._

_"Snort the milk up into his nose..."_

_"It's the best thing ever!" Sam said jumping excitedly._

_"And then make the milk squirt out of his eyes!"_

_"I wanna marry this boy!"_

_**"I wanna marry this boy!""I wanna marry this boy!""I wanna marry this boy!""I wanna marry this boy!""I wanna marry this boy!""I wanna marry this boy!"**_

The words just kept repeating in her head. When she had said this on iCarly she had been lying of course.

Her Mom had commented on it when she had got home.

_"I'm home!" Sam called as she closed the door behind her._

_"In the kitchen!" Pam called back. "So I watched your webshow," Pam said as her daughter walked through the door and straight to the refridgerator._

_"Cool. Watcha' think?" Sam asked as she pulled out a root beer._

_"Pretty funny stuff kid. Can I ask you a question?"_

_"Thanks and technically didn't you just ask one?" Sam said smirking._

_Pam rolled her eyes but continued, "So when you gonna marry milk boy and am I invited to the wedding?" Pam teased._

_"MOM!" Sam whined. "There isn't gonna be a wedding. I don't wanna marry milk boy." She shuddered at the thought. Saying she wanted to marry him had been something they came up with for the show. It was nothing serious._

_"Sure you don't you wannamarry someone else..."_

_"Well, yeah." Sam said taking as seat next to her mother at the kitchen table._

_"I know who you wanna marry," Pam said in a sing-song voice._

_"You do?" Sam said shocked. "I mean, uh... Well, if you do, then you wouldn't mind enlightening me on who this guy I wanna marry is. "_

_"It's Fredward Benson," Pam said simply._

_"Uh No it isn't," Sam said in a 'duh' tone as she got up from the table._

_"Yeah it is. You even planned your wedding together when you were little. Remember? You and Freddie spent the whole day planning it."_

_"No I don't remember," Sam lied. When in truth the memories of that day were flooding back to her._

Ugh! She did not want to be a Benson.

But according to her Mom she did when she was seven. To prove her point her Mom had even delved into the attic and searched for the box in which Sam and Freddie had placed their wedding junk. Sam had been the one to call it junk whereas her Mother had called them possessions.

The box was at the foot of her bed and Sam hadn't brought herself to open it yet but the longer it sat there the more powerful the urge to open it became.

"Ugh! Fine I'll do it I'll open it!" Sam said to her self.

She pulled herself up into a sitting position and grabbed the box. It sat on her lap for a second whith her staring at it befroe she finally tore off the lid.

Inside the small cardboard box were many an item. Items of which only flooded more of that day into her mind.

_**August 11th 2001**_

_"Yay! Freddie's back!" Sam squealed as she ran to the front door to let the Benson's in._

_"Sam!" Freddie yelled as she opend the door. _

_"Freddie!" Sam cried as she pulled him into a bear hug. "I missed you."_

_"Missed you to." Freddie whispered in her ear._

_Marissa and Pam smiled down at their two kids as they hugged. "How was the wedding?" Pam asked as she and Marissa walked through to the kitchen._

_Whilst the two adults gossiped in the kitchen, Sam and Freddie decided to go outside and play._

_The sun was out and it was pretty warm out. Sam was wearing her new sun dress and she couldn't stop twirling in it because she loved the way it moved. Eventually though she got dizzy and sat down beside her friend. "So, how was the wedding?" She asked mimicking her mother._

_"It was alright. My Mom says two people get married when they love each other very much."_

_Sam nodded then asked, "We love each other very much, so why aren't we getting married?"_

_"My Mom said that you have to propose to get married. She told me that the man always proposes to the lady because it's the gentleman thing to do."_

_Sam nodded again, "Well, what are you waiting for?"_

_"What do you mean?" Freddie asked confused._

_"Propose to me!" _

_Freddie laughed, "I can't."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because we don't have a wedding ring. Mommy said the man gets the lady a ring to show that they are gonna get married. Then they get another ring to show they are married."_

_Sam got up quickly, confusing Freddie. With outh a word she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the house and up to her mother's room._

_"Sam, why are we in here? Isn't it rude?"_

_Sam snorted, "My mom comes in my room all the time, so I get to go in her room. It's fair."_

_"Okay. But why are we in here?"_

_"So you can get me a ring," Sam stated simply._

_"Oh. Does your Mom have any?"_

_"She has loads!" Sam told him and she was not exaggerating. Pam Puckett loved to shop. Especially for jewellery._

_Sam pulled out a large jewellery box from under her Mom's bed and opened it up. "Take your pick."_

_"Wow. Which one do you like?"_

_"Freddie, your the one proposing so you have to pick."_

_"Yeah, but I'm picking it for you so you gotta help."_

_"Well, what did your Mom say about wedding rings?"_

_"She said, engagement rings are the ones with the gems and the wedding rings are the regular kind. Aunt Jennifer showed me hers, she said they were very precious."_

_"Hmm... Okay, pick then."_

_"You help me then. Which one do you like?"_

_Sam picked up a ring box within the jewellery box, "I like this one. What do you think?"_

_"It's pretty." Freddie said taking it from her small hands and placing it in his pocket._

_The ring was simple. Silver band. Cubic zirconia gem. Pam had got it at Mal-Mart and thought it was pretty but she wouldn't miss it if Sam and Freddie took it._

_"Cool. That's the rings down." Sam grabbed two plain ring bands from inside the box. "Come on we're going back outside so you can propose."_

_Freddie nodded and followed the blonde out of the door._

_They got back outside and Sam led them under the tree at the bottom of the garden._

_"Why are we down here?" Freddie asked._

_"Cause it's hot and I wanna be in the shade. Plus this looks more romantic."_

_Freddie nodded in agreement._

_"So what do you say when you propose then?"_

_"You gotta say all this stuff about why you love them. Oh, and the man has to get down on one knee and say it," Freddie explained._

_"Okay. Go on then."_

_"Right," Freddie said, taking the ring out of his pocket. Freddie got down on one knee in front of Sam and held the ring out to her. "Sam Puckett, I have known you forever and you are my best friend. You steal my food and can sometimes be kinda rude but usually your very nice and fun to be with. Your also really funny when you play pranks on Ms Wilson. I love you very much. And I will always love you. I loved you yesterday. I loved you today. I will love you tomorrow. I will love you always. So, Sam, will you marry me?"_

_Sam grinned. Those were quite possibly the nicest things she had ever heard. "Yes, I'll marry you!"_

_Freddie beamed and placed the ring on her finger (Of course it was huge on her so she had to be careful not to move much or it would fall off), before getting up to hug her and give her a kiss on the cheek._

_"I love you," He whispered._

_"I love you too," She whispered back kissing him on the cheek._

_Little did they know, that Pam and Marissa had been watching the whole thing, smiling the entire time._

******* End flash back *******

The rest of that day had been filled with them planning their wedding. In the box was a picture Sam had drawn of her dress and a picture Freddie had drawn of his suit. They had drawn a picture of the cake, Sam had demanded it be huge and be ham flavoured. Freddie had compromised and said half could be ham flavoured. There was another picture of the flowers. They had agreed on purple. In the box were also two hand written invitations to both their moms.

The two mothers had come out half way through the planning and Pam had jokingly asked where they were going for their honeymoon. Whcih Marissa had carefully explained was a vacation the married couple go on after the wedding. Sam and Freddie had agreed on Disney World.

Freddie had told her at Aunt Jennifer's wedding there had been music for when she left and entered the church. Marissa told them that when the bride enters the music is the wedding march. Then to leave the music is optional. On a small piece of paper they had written -_ Wedding March _and _Happy Together _(Which at the time had been Sam's favourite song). Marissa then added that they had to have a first dance at the wedding so written underneath _Happy Together _was _Close to you _which had been on the radio earlier that day.

There was a small menu which listed the food they wanted at the wedding -

_Sam and Freddie's Wedding Food_

_* Fat Cakes_

_* Ham_

* _Fried Chicken_

_* Smoothies_

_* Inside out Burger_

_* Ice-cream_

There was also a drawing of a church that Freddie had drawn and Sam had drawn the Hotel (She wanted it to look like the Chambrulay hotel) for the wedding party.

They had it all planned.

Sam smiled sadly at it all. She slipped the ring on her finger and a tear found it's way from its ducts and down her cheek.

One day she would find someone who loved her. Someone who wouldn't ditch her for her (female) best friend. Sam told herself this. Though it didn't stop the tears. She took off the ring and placed it carefully back in the box along with the box's other occupants. And with that she lay the box and her heart to rest in her closet away from the eyes of the world.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter Five - 2008**

**May**

Freddie lay back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was only seven but Freddie was already in his pyjamas.

Why?

Because he stupidly bet Sam she couldn't finish 'The Penny Treasure' in a week and he lost. He should of known Sam wouldn't back down to a bet. It was an impossible bet. One he knew all along he would lose but yet he still bet her.

He only bet Sam because this was something they had done since they were nine. They would make little bets and the penalty for losing would always be the same, which is how it became known amongst the iCarly gang as 'The Ushe'.

'The Ushe' involved spraying a hose down one's pants to make it look like they've wet themselves. Although Carly had pointed out is was childish it didn't change Sam and Freddie's decisions on 'The Ushe'. It was their 'Ushe' not Carly's therefore only they could change it and they wouldn't because it was like tradition now.

_**October 27th 2003**_

_"Ugh! This is so boring!" Sam groaned. _

_The blonde was sprawled out across the bleachers, her head on Freddie's lap and she was proding him with her fingers._

_"Yeah, I know. But we promised Carly we'd stay and cheer her on," Freddie pointed out, whilst trying to ignore the fingers that were now jabbing at his cheeks._

_"Ugh! But she won't be on for another half hour! We could always sneek out and then get back just in time to watch her try out," Sam said hopefully._

_"Well, I guess we - Would you quit doing that?" Freddie hissed as he batted her hands away. He waited for Sam to stop giggling before he continued. "I guess we could. But we gotta be back in half an hour or Carly will never forgive us."_

_"Pshh, whatever you say Fredlumps," Sam said getting off of her friend and standing up. "Follow me."_

_Taking one last glance down at the field towards all the aspiring cheerleaders, Freddie got up and followed Sam._

_The pair soon found themselves walking under the shade of the school building. Though it was October the sun was out and blazing down on the world below._

_"Sam where are we going?" Freddie asked as he walked beside her._

_She didn't answer, only shrugged._

_"Well that helps," Freddie said sarcastically._

_Sam rolled her eyes, not even bothering to retort. _

_Neither spoke as they continued walking aimlessly around the school, whihc is why Freddie had a mini heart-attack when Sam stopped suddenly. "Sam? What... What's wrong?" He said, his voice full of worry and concern._

_Sam looked at him, her eyes shinning and a mischievous smirk spreading slowly across her face. "Freddie..."_

_"What?" He said slowly._

_"Wanna make a bet?" _

_"But Mom says bets are for men with lots of money and no sense," Freddie said his nose scrunching up ever so slightly._

_"We wouldn't bet money you dork," Sam pointed out._

_"Well, what would we bet?"_

_"How about... loser has to..." Sam's eyes caught sight of a hose connected to the side of a nearby house. "To put a hose down their pants and turn it on?"_

_"But... then we'd look llike we'd wet ourselves."_

_"That's the point nub."_

_Freddie's mind was working quickly to work out a way to convince her this was a bad idea. "Besides we don't even have a hose."_

_"There's one right over there," Sam said pointing to the house across the street._

_"But Sam... isn't that illegal?"_

_"It's only illegal if you get caught."_

_Freddie was shocked. Sure Sam had always been rebellious but she'd never mentioned breaking the law. "But..."_

_"C'mon Freddie. It'll be fun."_

_Freddie's Mom had always told him that if someone ever tried to force him to do something he didn't want to do then he wasn't to do it. She'd called it peer pressure. Freddie had obeyed her no matter what, but to every single one of Freddie's rules and laws there was always one exception. And that exception was Sam Puckett._

_Freddie hesitated for a moment, before sighing, "Fine."_

_"Yes!" Sam grinned manically._

_"Okay so what exactly are we betting on?"_

_"Um..."_

_"Please don't make it to hard," Freddie asked nicely, hoping Sam would take pity on him._

_"Fine, for your sake, I'll be nice," She smiled._

_"Thanks."_

_"Mhmm. Okay, I bet you can't run all the way around the school carrying me without falling over," Sam challenged._

_"How is that even fair?" _

_"It's not," She smirked._

_"Well, then - " But Freddie was cut off by Sam jumping on his back._

_"Run Freddie! Run!" She yelled, laughing like a loonatic._

_"Ugh! When did you get so heavy?" Freddie groaned._

_"Moma ain't heavy, your just weak."_

_"Agh!"_

_"Take it like a man!"_

_They were almost at 'the finish line' when Freddie stumbled slightly._

_"Finally!" Freddie said as Sam hopped off of him and he fell to the ground. "You do realise that almost killed me?"_

_"And do you realise that you fell which means you lose?"_

_"I didn't fall I stumbled."_

_"Same thing."_

_"No there not."_

_"Yes they are."_

_"No there not, you lost."_

_The pair crossed the road towards the house. They snuck up the drive-way and to the side of the house where the hose pipe was situated. Sam picked up the pipe and walked towards Freddie._

_"Come 'ere Frednub."_

_"Sam no. I won you lost."_

_"No, I won you lost."_

_The two began fighting over the pipe and were begining to make quite a bit of noise when realisation hit Freddie._

_"Fine," Freddie snatched the hose out of Sam's small hands and rammed it down his pants. He turned the the tap and water soon appeared on the front of his pants. _

_"Why did you give in so quickly?" Sam frowned, clearly confused._

_"'Cause I don't wanna get caught!" He hissed, pulling the pipe out of his trousers. "Now, let's get back before Carly realises we're gone."_

_Whilst Freddie began walking away, Sam stayed where she was. She took one look at the hose pipe and sighed in defeat. Grumbling to herself quietly she grabbed the hose pipe and stuck it in her pants._

_"Sam are you coming?" Freddie said turning to look at his friend._

_What Freddie saw was not exactly what he was expecting to see. Sure, he saw his best friend. But what he was not expecting to see was his best friend with a large wet stain on the front of her pants. _

_"W-What?" Freddie said, stiffling a laugh._

_"Shut it," Sam growled as she grabbed his hand and walked across the street with him._

That bet had been the start of many. Of course the bets had become harder and a lot less childish but it had been a bet of significance.

It brought a smile to Freddie's face.

Lately Sam and Freddie's friendship had been one that appeared to be on the rocks. They weren't the way they used to be. Though maybe they hadn't been for a long time and Freddie just hadn't noticed it. He's been so caught up with Carly that he'd kinda been neglecting Sam for the past couple of months. Their friendship used to be one that could withstand anything but now it appeared even the slightest wind would set them off.

Sam wasn't who she used to be either. Sure, she'd always been rebellious, viscous, a little bit violent, and she was always stealing his food but she also had moments when she was nice and sweet and kind. Now those moment were incredibly rare. They barely even showed up on his birthday. Sam had always been happy. Ever since he could remember, every memory was filled with Sam smiling or happiness radianting off of her. Okay so there were times where she was sad. Like when Melanie left, she was a wreck. Or when her dad left, she was a mess.

But now the happiness doesn't radiate off of her. She still smiles but sometimes it doesn't reach her eyes. On iCarly she's happy she's beaming and he can see that through the camera. When she's with Spencer or Carly she's grinning, he's seen pictures, videos, there all proof. But sometimes when she;s with him she looks down almost sad. Disappointed. Hurt.

But there are other times when their together and her smile is wide, her eyes are glittering and her laugh is contagious.

Maybe he should make more time for her. Hang out with her more...

But what about Carly?

Ugh!

Life was so much easier when he was younger.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter Six - 2009**

**July**

What was the world coming to?

They had helped Gibby get a date.

Why couldn't the big nub ask out Shannon himself?

But no, he had to get all 'no self-esteem' and call in help.

Seriously, the boys a shirtless potato, what is so hard about asking out a not even particuarly hot girl?

And as predicted Carly's plan took a nose dive into the toilet.

Gibby got a date. Just not with Shannon. Nope, he got one with Carly.

And unfortunately for Freddie he got Shannon.

And Sam? Sam, to her utter disgust ended up with Reuben.

The date was a sure fire disaster.

Carly didn't mind, although Gibby was most definitely one of the weirdest guys she had ever met, she still thought he was pretty adorable.

Gibby, wouldn't deny that he was totally bummed about not getting Shannon, but Carly was awesome so it wasn't all that bad.

Freddie knew Shannon was a future stalker and he really didn't want to be spending anymore time with her than absolutely nescessary.

Shannon thought Freddie was absolutely dreamy. She was couting her blessings for not getting stuck with Gibby.

Reuben was content. Sam was cute. He'd had a crush on her for a little over two months now, and now he finally had a date with her.

Sam was wazzed. She couldn't understand a word of what her 'date' was saying. She couldn't deny that she wasn't enjoying the fact that she got to go to the CheeseCake warehouse, eat and not have to pay.

The dinner had ended with Reuben and Shannon both leaving, Reuben leaving cause Sam had insulted him and Shannon leaving because she was disgusted by Gibby's dancing. Yes, Gibby danced shirtless on a table.

Later that month the iCarly trio dabbled in the art of match-making once again.

And once again they failed.

Though maybe this failure couldn't be pin-pointed on them because Ms Ackerman was a wackjob.

The month just seemed to get crazier when Carly and Sam had a fight over a guy and he almost died.

Yeah, that one was the one that stuck to Sam the most.

Why?

Because of one simple thing.

_"Why does your voice sound deeper?"_

_"I don't know, puberty?"_

Yup, Freddie was going through puberty which now meant he was gonna get hotter and more appealing to girls. Which just meant more problems for Sam because she was going to lose her best friend even more.

Why does life do that?

Why does it go and take away from you the things that mean the most.

Sam remembered back when he thought girls had cooties. She didn't love that exactly but it had made their friendship stronger.

_**7th April 2000**_

_"Hey Freddie," Sam smiled as she walked towards her friend._

_"Uhhh... h-hey Sam..." Freddie stammered, he looked everywhere except at her._

_"Um... are you okay?" She asked, frowning enough for a line to appear between her eye brows._

_"y-yeah, why w-wouldn't I be?"_

_"Because your stammering. Are you sick?"_

_"I... um... I gotta go," Freddie said speeding off across the playground towards Gibby._

_Sam watched him walk away feeling hurt and hungry. After realising he wasn't coming back she trudged slowly to the girls bathroom to wait for recess to end._

_The same thing happened at lunch. Sam had waited at their table for the whole of the lunch period and yet Freddie didn't come._

_The week was filled with loneliness and hunger. When Friday rolled around something changed. For you see, on Fridays Sam would spend the night at Freddie's house and they would watch movies like Galazy Wars, but today Sam did not know what was going to happen. If Freddie wasn't talking to her what was the point in hanging out with him tonight?_

_Marrissa Benson pulled up outside Ridgeway Elementary and saw only Sam stood on the sidewalk waiting, Freddie was no where to be seen._

_"Hello Sam, your mom dropped off your bag this afternoon so we can go straight home. Wheres Freddie?" Said as she rolled down the window._

_Sam walked up to the drivers window, "I don't know. He was with Gibby and Jonah last time I saw him. I don't think I wanna go to your house to night Mrs Benson."_

_"Why not sweetie?"_

_"Because Freddie doesn't like me anymore," Her voice cracked and she sounded like she was about to cry._

_"What makes you think that?"_

_"Because he won't talk to me, and he left me all on my own all week."_

_"Awww Sam. Get in the car, I'll drive you home. Then I shall be having a few words with my son," Mrs Benson frowned slightly._

_"Thanks Mrs Benson," Sam smiled, though she still wanted to cry._

_"No problem dear," Mrs Benson said smiling, she looked out the window to see Freddie walking towards the car. "Fredward! Where have you been?"_

_"I was cleaning my cubby," Freddie said as he got in the car. "Ahhhh!" He screamed, his face full of terror._

_"What? What is it?" His mother asked, her voice screeching with panic._

_"N-nothing," Freddie said quietly._

_Sam knew what it was. He had been shocked to see her. He freaked out anytime she was around now. The only thing she didn't know was why..._

_"Mom? Why are we going this way? We live that way," Freddie asked confused._

_"I'm dropping Samantha home first."_

_"But... Sam comes to our house on Fridays?"_

_"Usually yes, but apparently you two have had a fight and Sam doesn't wish to come over tonight. So, I'm taking her home."_

_"What? We didn't have a fight,"Freddie said even more confused._

_"Really Fredward? Because Samantha come out of school today in near tears and she said it was because you didn't like her. Care to explain that?"_

_Sam shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Mrs Benson had said she was going to talk to Freddie after she took her home, so why was she doing this now?_

_Freddie turned to Sam, "You thought I didn't like you?"_

_"You don't! You left me for Gibby and won't speak to me anymore!" Her voice cracked once more, and a frog sized lump sprung up in her throat._

_"That's 'cause I can't speak to you!" Freddie argued._

_"Why not?"_

_"Because you have cooties!"_

_Sam's jaw dropped. Cooties? How could he think she had cooties? Some of the girls in their class had told her she needed to be careful around Freddie or she could get cooties but she'd just ignored them. Her Mom had told her their were no such things as cooties so she had no need to worry. But Freddie had actually believed when he was told she had cooties?_

_"What?" She asked in diesbelief._

_"Gibby and Jonah told me you had cooties, and that if I hung out with you I'd get 'em to."_

_"Fredward! The correct word it 'them' not ''em'. And you should know there are no such things as cooties. You've been best friends with Samantha for... well, since she was born and you haven't caught cooties yet," Mrs Benson said sternly._

_Freddie looked down clearly embarassed by what he had done._

_Sam felt sorry for him. Sure she was angry he had believed a bunch of gross boys over her but it wasn't his fault he was gullible. Sam stretched out her hand and took his in her own. She didn't say anything but to Freddie it was worth a thousand words. They both knew what words it meant, it meant 'I forgive you'. Freddie gave her hand a gentle squeeze and Sam knew he meant 'I'm sorry'._

_"Mrs Benson?" Sam spoke up._

_"Yes dear?"_

_"Um... I think I've changed my mind. Can I still come to your house tonight, please?" Sam asked polietly._

_Mrs Benson smirked, "Of course."_

_Upon hearing this Freddie's eyes lit up with happiness, as did Sam's. They'd both got their best friend back._

Sam thought about it and decided that she would trade in Freddie becoming a girl magnet and bring back the cootie afraid kid he was before.

That way maybe he'd even be freaked by Carly but he'd stay with her, he knew she didn't have cooties but because he knew she didn't have them he knew they weren't real. Was there anyway of getting the old Freddie back once he'd gone through puberty?

Even though puberty was going to make him more girl obsessed and make her lose him more, Sam couldn't deny that it had it's bonuses.

For example:

* His voice today sounded deeper, and Sam loved the way it sounded.

* He was taller

* Getting taller meant he lost puppy fat and his muscles looked more defined - definite bonus!

And who knows what else...

Maybe puberty would be good for their friendship. Maybe it would mature him and bring him back to her.

Or maybe it would turn him away...

Both Sam and Carly were going through puberty, and she knew Freddie could see that.

They'd learn't all about it in health class and of course Mrs Benson had felt the need to go over it again in the car when she gave Freddie, Sam and Carly a ride bacxk to Bushwell Plaza.

The worst part was that all the good stuff seemed to happen to Carly in the whole puberty thing.

That's why she had put up such a fight with Shane. She was determined to get him because Carly always got the guys because she was hot and she was... not.

They'd faught over Shane the entire week. They realised it had gone to far when Shane almost died... Yeah, it's a good thing he didn't sue.

Sam had hung out with Shane a couple times and one was enough to know he was more interested in Carly, but she was determined to change his mind. Not everyone could like Carly, could they?

She'd tried multiple tricks to get him to kiss her.

The kissing booth had been one, that had been so close to working. Of course, she'd had to spray guys away with a water pistol until Shane finally showed up. Freddie had showed up just before Shane had. He'd offered to help her, but she knew he only wanted to help her so Carly wouldn't get to date Shane.

For half a second she could have sworn Freddie licked his lips and puckered slightly, as if he wanted to kiss her... but she shook the thought out of her head and sprayed him away because she couldn't deal with him at that moment.

She was charging a dollar a kiss, only she had made any money yet since she kept squirting the guys with her water pistol. She could have made at least one dollar if she had got Freddie to hand over his lunch money. Part of her, a teeny tiny, part of her, wanted to kiss Freddie. Only to see what it was like. Sam had never kissed anyone. If Shane had gone through with the kissing booth he would have been her first. But did she really want him to be? She didn't really want to kiss someone who didn't like her which is why she was kinda relieved when Shane hadn't kissed her. When she got her first kiss she wanted it to be with someone who liked her not her best friend, Carly Shay. And she wanted it to be meaningful not at a cost of a dollar.

Sam had told Freddie she wouldn't kiss him for nine billion dollars, and that was true, because if she ever did kiss Freddie she would want it to mean something and for him not to have to pay for it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter Six - 2009**

The past couple of months had been insane, at least in Freddie's mind they had been...

In October Spencer had gained and addicition to and old arcade game called 'Pac-Rat'. Sam had had to find $526 for Carly and Freddie, and when she did get her hands on exactly that much she went and spent it on a trampoline! Plus they'd almost killed Lewburt and had ended up catering to his every need until he was better, but instead Freddie's Mom had been the one to take care of him and then some where along the way she started dating the crazy doorman before she abruptly dumped him after he yelled at Freddie after he 'fell' down the stairs.

In November they travelled to Japan for the iWeb Awards. That in it's self had been a crazy adventure. For starters Freddie, Carly and Sam, Mrs Benson and Spencer had all had to travel to Japan in an unsanitary, possum-filled, cargo plane bound for Korea, which resulted in the group having to sky dive in to Tokyo! Then the iCarly trio got kidnapped by Kyoko and Yuki! But on the plus side they won the iWeb Award! Plus in November there had been the incident with Mr Galini dying, which unfortunately happened just after Carly, Sam and Spencer had intoduced him to the magical world of Galini's pie shop.

So far December had been fairly normal, except Carly got a little loopy around Christmas but it was all fine by Christmas day. They'd all had their respective celebration with their families, then Freddie and Sam joined Carly and Spencer to exchange gifts around their electromagnetic was fun, a good Christmas overall but it wasn't the best...

_**December 25th 2001**_

_"Freddie! Sam and Pam are here!" Marissa Benson called to her son._

_"Sam!" The young seven year old boy yelled gleefully. Bolting from his room he charged into the living room and to the front door. "Sam!" _

_"Freddie!" Sam yelled as she locked her peircing blue eyes with Freddie's dark brown ones. "Merry Christmas!" She cried as she rushed forward enveloping him in a hug._

_Marissa and Pam watched their children interact, laughing between themselves. "Now. Dinner will be ready in an hour. So why don't you two go play in Freddie's room for a bit?"_

_The two children nodded and Freddie grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her to his room. He couldn't wait to show her all his new toys. And his camera. He couldn't believe his Mom had gotten him one. It looked just like the one he saw in the Sky Store catalogue. It was small and silver, and it had a sticker which said Freddie on it!_

_Marissa had no doubts that Freddie would treasure his new camera and would guard it with his life. Freddie was always a careful, no matter what. So she trusted him with a camera, even if he was seven. Besides it hadn't been that expensive and he had really wanted it. Marissa did not regret buying him the video camera._

_"So Sam what did you get for Christmas?" Freddie asked sitting on his bed._

_"I got Fat Cakes! And a ham, some new pyjamas, a pee-wee pal, some gel pens, some paper and Boogie Bear takes Manhattan on Dvd! Plus I got a football and a Barbie. What did you get?"_

_"I got the new Galaxy Wars Dvd, some action figures, a space book, some socks, scrabble, a empty scrap book, and a video camera!"_

_"Sweet!"_

_"I know!. Oh Sam!"_

_"What?"_

_"I got you a present," Freddie said shyly. _

_"I got you one too! I'll go get it from Mommy's bag."_

_"Okay," Freddie watched the blonde leave and quickly scrambled off his bed to get Sam's gift. He'd worked hard on it, that's for sure._

_Sam arrived back quickly with a small shape wrapped in blue and red wrapping paper. "Here!" She thrust the gift towards him, and he took it gingerly and passed her the purple box in his hand._

_Whilst Freddie carefully unwrapped his gift, not wanting to tear the paper, Sam tore through the purple paper grinning madly, in excitment as she did so._

_"Wow!" Sam whispered. In her small hands was a large purple picture frame, inside of which was a collage of pictures. All of which had Sam and Freddie in them. _

_After what seemed like a decade of unwrapping the severely taped paper, Freddie finally broke through into the gift it's self. It was a small, hand made book. The front cover had a picture of two people. A boy and a girl. The girl had blonde hair and blue eyes, and was smiling brightly. The boy had brown hair and eyes to match, his smile was just as big. Written above them in purple crayon were the words, 'The marvelous misadventures of Sam and Freddie'. Freddie knew that Pam had helped her with the spelling but otherwise he knew it was all Sam. And it made him smile. He was going to treasure it forever._

Yeah... that Christmas had definitely been the best. He hadn't even cared when Sam had dumped mashed potatoes on his lap because he had taken the last slice of her Ham.

He sat staring up at the ceiling from his bed, when he figuratively got hit by a ton of bricks. Freddie jumped up off his bed and sprung down to the floor, digging under his bed. Under his bed was a blue box. Within the blue box were Freddie's most cherished possesions. A picture of his mom and dad on their wedding day. A picture of him and Sam on their first day of school. A tape of the first thing he ever recorded on his first video camera, (Sam singing the first half of 'Baby Again - Ginger Fox' then she pulled the camera off of Freddie, and put it down so it could film them both singing the rest of the song, before they broke in to what they called 'The Fast Food Rap'). There was an original mint condition, Nug Nug action figure. A picture of Sam and Freddie back in elementary school, at their special place before Carly moved into town. A picture of the iCarly trio. A picture of the iCarly trio and Spencer. And a picture of the iCarly trio, Spencer and Gibby. At the bottom of the box was one last picture of Sam and Freddie on their 'Wedding Day' and finally _'The Marvellous Misadventures of Sam and Freddie', by Sam Puckett. _Sam had written it and had said she would do another one, one day.

The book had multiple short stories in it, and Freddie cherished it with all his heart. The stories were about a boy called Freddie who was best friends with a girl called Sam. She called him lots of different names but he knew she was joking. The pair went on many different adventures. To different countries. And even the moon! And other planets. Sam was so creative when it came to things like this. Cause although sometimes her ideas could be a bit extreme, they were generally good. Yes, the ones involving cooking/almost killing/ injuring Freddie, weren't his favouties but he couldn't deny they were creative. Most of the time he preferred Sam's ideas for iCarly over Carly's. Carly's were just so... boring. Dull. Regular. Safe. But Carly didn't always see Sam;s ideas as spontaneous, fun and creative like Freddie did. So as a compromise Freddie told Sam they could do miniature webisodes, where they could do her ideas, so long as they didn't involve maiming/killing/injuring or the arrest of Freddie. And Sam, although she would never admit to it was thankful to Freddie for seeing her ideas as something other than casual remarks, that she made to look like she was participating in iCarly rehearsal/planning. He saw that with a little help they could be geniuine ideas. And so with the help of Freddie, Sam and he created the incredibly funny, 'Wake Up Spencer!'.

He placed the book back in it's box and looked at the picture of his 'Wedding Day' and smiled. He remembered that day. He had gotten the photo whilst Sam had gotten everything else. It hurt him to think that she had probably forgotten about it and the box of their wedding stuff was probably in a landfill somewhere. It was a sad thought considering all the work they had put into it.

He still remembered exactly what he said to her when he 'proposed', _"Sam Puckett, I have known you forever and you are my best friend. You steal my food and can sometimes be kinda rude but usually your very nice and fun to be with. Your also really funny when you play pranks on Ms Wilson. I love you very much. And I will always love you. I loved you yesterday. I loved you today. I will love you tomorrow. I will love you always. So, Sam, will you marry me?"_

Though he figured he'd have to change it now. Since she pranked Ms. Briggs now instead. And he'd have to mention that although she causes him constant physical and emotional pain he still loves her.

Of course, he'd never propse to her again. Since she hated him. And he 'loved' Carly. Right?

A sad tear escaped from his eye, but he quickly wipped it away and put the box and it's contents back under his bed.

"Goodnight Sam," He whispered as he turned the light off, sending his room into darkness. "Merry Christmas."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter Seven - 2009**

**January 10th**

All little girls dream of their first kiss. They all want Prince Charming to be their first kiss like in all those princess movies. A girl wants her first kiss to be memorable and to give her butterflies by just remembering it.

Sam couldn't understand why there was so much pressure on a girl to have her first kiss. Or at least that is what was running through her mind whilst she was sat in the movie theatre with Carly watching 'The first Kiss'. She glanced over to Carly, who was in the seat beside many of the girls and women in the theatre Carly was blubbing. Sam rolled her eyes. Seriously? After finishing her exra large slushie and her exra large bucket of popcorn, Sam had no choice other than to watch the movie. And in her eyes yes, it was boring and tedious but she couldn't eny to herself that it did make her think.

As Carly and Sam left the movies, Sam was still thinking but Carly couldn't say she'd noticed her friends slight quietness, as she was to busy rambling on about how sweet yet totally cheesy the movie was.

When they arrived back to the Shay's apartement and walked in on Spencer 'training' to be a Seattle cobra Sam's thoughts were thrown from her mind. After helping a now 'injured' Spencer train, the pair hurried up the stairs the the iCarly studio.

Throwing herself onto the comfy, pink beanbag chair and closed her eyes. Today had been a long, long day... then again she had been handcuff to a Gibby for most of it! Ugh! She was going to get that nub. She was gonna get him bad...

_"OPEN THE DOOR!" Sam yelled as she tried to shove open the door, though the chain was preventing her from getting in._

_"Call the police!" She hear Freddie say urgently._

_"OPEN THIS DOOR!"_

_"Leave me alone Sam. We're even," Freddie called back._

_"Argh!" With as much strength as the petit girl could muster she ripped open the door. "Come here Benson," She spat as she entered the apartment, dragging a terrified Gibby along behind her._

_Freddie backed away towards the kitchen, begining to regret his 'prank'. _

_"You handcuffed her to Gibby?" Carly said incredulously._

_"She put a dead fish in my locker," He argued, stepping back again._

_"Gibby's way worse than a dead fish!" The blonde girl screeched._

_"My Mom think's I'm awesome!" Gibby said, as if he thought saying that would really make things any better._

_"Gimme the key!"_

_"Give her the key."_

_"Only if she promis-" Freddie began but was cut off by a battle cry from Sam._

_Freddie charged into the kitchen and Sam followed pulling with her a frightened Gibby. All heck broke lose. There were terrified screams from Gibby. Frightened cries from Freddie. A blood thursty roar from Sam. And a yell of panic with a hint of calming in her voice, from Carly._

_After a moment of running and yelling, Sam pushed Freddie and bent him over the yellow breakfast table, twisting his arm behind him as she did so. _

_"Ow! My arm!" Freddie groaned._

_Ignoring his moan of pain Sam said forcefully, "Where's the key?"_

_"In my front pants pocket left side," Freddie babbled._

_"Get the key out of his pocket," Sam commanded Carly, as she applied more pressure to Freddie's arm._

_"Uh... Okay," Carly stammered, leaning over to do so, Carly realised where she would have to put her hand... "Eww! No."_

_"Just let me up and I'll give you the key," Freddie said, his voice giving off a tired, pained tone._

_"PLEASE!" Gibby yelled._

_Sighing inwardly Sam relented and released the nub from her iron grasp. "Now unlock me."_

_Freddie pulled the small silver key from his pocket and unlocked the demon from the Gibby. _

_Screaming in terror of what Sam might do to him next Gibby bolted out of the building and away to the safety of his own home._

_"Like Gibby's therapist didn't have enough to deal with!" Carly scolded the two._

_Sam not bothered by the emotional damage she had enflicted upon Gibby that day ignored her friend and turned to Freddie, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him face to face with her._

_"Come on. You put a dead fish in my locker, I handcuffed you to Gibby. We're even!" Freddie said arguing a case that in Sam's eyes he had already lost._

_"Yay! Who wants lemonade?" Carly said attempting to distract Sam._

_"I don't play to get even," Sam began threateningly. "Moma plays to win."_

_Releasing him roughly Sam turned and began exiting the room. "I'm gonna get you. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But I'm gonna get you..." And with that she left._

Sam found herself lost in a daydream of what she was going to do to her once best friend.

She was only awakened when she heard Carly speak, "Hey."

Looking up Sam was greeted by a pair of soft brown eyes belonging to none other than Freddie Benson.

"What's the baseball bat for?" Carly asked, though Sam had a feeling they all knew.

"Nothing... As long a s Sam keeps her distance," Freddie said facing Sam as he walked around the room to find himself a seat.

"Relax. I'm to tired to get you back tonight," Sam said shrugging.

"Good," Freddie said lowering himself into the red leather beanbad opposite the two girls. "So, how was 'The First Kiss'?"

"Worst movie ever," Carly told him.

Sam rolled her eyes. She knew Carly would lie. She knew it!

"I told you guys that movie was gonna be awful. I mean even the title, 'The First Kiss'."

"I know..." Carly smiled.

Sam frowned slightly. Why was it that everytime Carly liked something but the majority of other people hated it, she went along with them?

"So who was yours?" Sam asked, as she chewed a mouthful of buttery popcorn.

"Who was my what?"

"Your first kiss?"

"Sam..." Carly said giving her friend a wide eyed look.

"C'mon, we're all friends here," Sam said before retracting it. "Well, two friends and a co-worker." There was no way she was counting Freddie as her friend, especially not after he hadncuffed her to the shirtless one. The blonde watched Freddie roll his eyes and she could of grinned. Boy, how she loved insulting him. "So, who was your first kiss?"

"Okay," Carly sighed. "It was Ben Hoopsher."

And just as Carly has suspected, both Sam and Freddie began snickering.

"Nobody's last name is Hoopsher," Freddie stated chuckling.

"Yes it is," Carly argued, laughing now too. "He kissed me under a cumquat tree and his lips tasted of potato salad," She said dreamily.

"Was it good?" Sam asked.

Carly shrugged, "Just your average little kiss."

"No the potato salad," Sam replied as if it had been blatently obvious the first time.

"Oh, yeah really good."

"Nice. My first kiss was with Buddy Hinton at a CuddleFish concert. In a port-a-potty," Sam lied. She couldn't be sure why she lied, it just sorta came out. To be honest she didn't want Carly or Freddie knowing she had never been kissed. Carly would act all sweet about it but in Sam's mind it was just another thing Carly had which Sam didn't. Then Freddie would hold it over her and then brag about how he had kissed that skunkbag Valerie. Ugh! Even the thought of it made her want to go on a storming rampage.

"Mmm, so romantic," Freddie said sarcastically as he sipped his bottled water.

"Whatever," Sam grunted, rolling her eyes. Just cause he and Valerie... NO! Don't think about it, she told herself. Brushing the thoughts of kisses away Sam changed the subject, "All I know is, now I can't stop thinking about potato salad." She pulled herself up from the beanbag chair and turned to Carly, "Does that little market across the street stay open late?"

"Yeah, till ten," Carly nodded popping another piece of popcorn into her mouth.

"Does that skeevy guy still hang around out front?" Sam asked, inwardly shuddering.

"Yeah."

At this, Sam grabbed Freddie's baseball bat and began to leave. Saying, "I'll be back," over her shoulder as she went.

Half way down the stair Sam tapped her pockets and realised she was out of money. _I bet the nub has some..._ Turning on her heel she hurried back upstairs only to stumble upon a very interesting conversation...

"Well, I think it's kinda sweet that you haven't kissed anyone yet," She heard Carly say.

_Huh, Benson hasn't kissed anyone either..._

"No it's not sweet, it's lame. And you gotta swear to me you won't tell anyone, especially Sam," Freddie said, causing a mischievous smirk to appear on Sam's lips.

"There's nothing to be embaras-"

"Carly, I mean it. Promise me?"

"I promise."

And with a large smirk and a newly formed plan in mind Sam headed back down stairs.

**January 15th**

This was it. This was going to be her revenge...

"Wait, just one more little thing," Sam interupted before Carly could finish the show.

"What?"

"You guys all know our technical producer Freddie. Show yourself to the people Freddie."

"Hello..."

"That was Freddie, who last week handcuffed me to a nerd. So now guess what? Freddie's never kissed a girl. Never. Not once. I heard him say so myself and Carly's a witness."

Sam watched as Freddie's jaw dropped. The weird part was she wasn't getting as big a kick out of this as she thought she would. Ah well, she was probably hungry, right?

"Okay, later," Sam said, with an essence of victory.

Sam hear Carly calling after her but she wasn't listening, she was going to head over to the Groovy Smoothie and get some food to fix this sudden hunger that had just crept upon her.

**January 22nd**

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Sam said as she entered the iCarly studio closing the door softly behind her.

"You're always late," Carly said quietly, as she put meatballs in a bowl.

"So? It's cool, the show doesn't start for... three more minutes. Where's Freddweird?"

"Freddie's not coming," Carly said, her voice harsh and louder now.

"What? Okay, he stayed home from school all week, he missed two iCarly rehearsals and now he's gonna miss the show?" Sam said, a feeling of hunger crashed over her as she spoke. Grabbing a meatball she took a large bite before continuing, "So unprofessional."

"You really hurt him. Everytime he leaves the house he gets teased cause you told the whole world he's never kissed anyone. You know he won't even talk to his Mom?" He wouldn't talk to his Mom? But he tells his Mom everything... "He just sits on the fire escape alone cause he's to embarassed to see anyone. You like ruined his whole life and ya don't even care," Carly said scowling, as she stormed across the room and pressed a few keys on the laptop.

"Alright, I'll go apologize," Sam relented. Why was she so damn hungry?

"It doesn't even matter if you apologize, kids are still gonna give him a hard time cause you can't take back what you said."

"Look, I didn't mean-"

"You went to far this time... and ya can't fix it," Carly said shaking her head.

Carly's cell bleeped notifying them of the impending webcast.

"We gotta start the show," Carly told her sighing.

"Well, how can I do the show now that you made me feel all depressed?" This wasn't entirely true, Sam had been feeling relatively bad all week due to the way Freddie had reacted to her revenge.

"I don't know, just get in front of the camera and do it," Carly sneered. "In 5, 4, 3, 2..."

"I'm Sam," The blonde said waving to the camera.

"And I'm Carly," Carly's tone becoming perkier and bubblier as she spoke.

"And this is iCarly."

"The only webshow, that contains no trans fats."

"And keeps kitty's box smelling fresh all day."

"And now what you've all been waiting for..."

"Carly and I are about to have our very first..."

"MEATBALL WAR!" The girls said simultaneously.

"We have our slingshots."

"And a hundred meatballs."

"But, um... Before we start our meatball war, I wanna say something. On the last iCarly I told you guys that Freddie never kissed anyone, and that was really personal and I shouldn't have said it on the show," Sam sighed. For a moment she looked like a vunerable little girl until, she stepped towards the camera and her stance became threatening. "And for all you people out there who've been teasing Freddie about it, lay off. Cause I bet a whole lot of you haven't kissed anyone yet either," Sam barked. Yet once again her tone became softer and she sighed, her eyes bright blue eyes become sad, "Including me. Yeah that's right. I haven't kissed anyone. So, if you wanna tease someone about it, tease me." But once again the small blonde became threatening, "Which is a bad idea unless you live near a hospital!"

As Sam stepped back Carly continued, "Uh Um... Our meatball war will be happening soon but for now please enjoy this photo of a man with shrimp up his nose," Carly blurted as she dashed towards the laptop and clicked a button or two.

"Why'd you stop the show?" Sam said frowning, though on the inside she was feeling so much better since she didn't feel quite so hungry anymore.

"That was amazing. What you just did."

"Meh."

"You lied so people would stop teasing Freddie," Carly smiled in admiration.

Sighing, Sam said, "I didn't lie." The blonde shrugged as if it wasn't that big a deal, though she knew that it was.

"Wait, you've seriously never kissed anyone?" Carly said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"You shocked?"

"Well, yeah. But just cause you always seemed so... willing."

"I'm gonna go talk to Freddie," Sam told her, walking towards the red door. The petit blonde glanced back and looked at the clear bowl of 100 meatballs. She dived forward and grabbed them, "I'm taking these meatballs."

****..**..****

Sam could feel the cold breeze coming in from the open window as she walked down the hallway. Placing the empty meatball bowl on the ground she stepped closer to the breeze and could hear the Seattle nightlife, traffic and music.

_Did i tell you I knew you name? But it seem that I lost it._

Sam looked out and saw Freddie sat in a deck chair, his feet resting on the railing and staring out into the city. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath Sam knocked gently on the window, as if waiting to be invited onto the fire escape. Freddie turned to see who it was, he was greated by Sam's piercing blue eyes. He smiled awkwardly, and Sam debated whether or not to eat the meatball she still clitched in her hand. Before she had chance to finish the argument with herself Freddie gestured for her to join him, so she pulled back the window and sat down on the ledge.

"What's up?" Sam asked, though she knew exactly what was up.

"Nothing," Freddie said before getting up and adjusting the volume on his pear-pod.

Feeling awkward, Sam opened her hand, offering Freddie the food within it, "Meatball?"

Freddie's eyebrows creased in confusion, "Nooooo, thanks?"

Shrugging Sam threw the ball of meat out over the fire escape and unfortuantely (for the bird) hit a passing seagul.

Shoving his hands in his pockets Freddie turned to the girl and said, "That was really brave. What you said."

"You heard?"

Freddie turned and picked up his laptop, smirking broadly, "You didn't think I'd miss iCarly?"

Sam smiled amused, "I'm sorry. 'Bout telling people you never kissed anyone." Sam knew she was doing the right thing but she instantly regretted it upon seeing Freddie's smirk disappear and his face lowering as he looked at the ground. Feeling worse again she decided she would add other things to make him feel better. "And about putting blue cheese dressing in your shampoo bottle." Freddie's smirk was reappearing so Sam continued. "And about sending your cell phone to Cambodia." The smirk was now a slight grin. "Everything. Okay?"

"So this means your not going to mess with me anymore?"

Sam could have laughed, but this was serious, "No, I'm still gonna mess with you. I'm just gonna apologize every few years so I can start fresh again."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yeah. It'd be to weird if you didn't make my life miserable all the time," He said smiling. Really? Were they that far from where they used to be? Could he not remember with such vivid memories of when they were best friends? Did he not remember them? "But maybe you could pull back just a little bit?" Fredide offered.

Hurt that he didn't remember Sam quickly said, "I don't think so."

"Yeah, I didn't either."

Sam sighed in an amused fashion, "It's so dumb."

Confused now, Freddie asked, "What do you mean?"

"You know, how people get all freaked out over their first kiss."

Freddie look back again at the ground as if ashamed, so Sam continued, "It's stupid."

"So you weren't lying? You've really never kissed anyone?"

"Nope." Why was this so surprising for her friends? "Sometimes I just wish... I could get it outta the way."

"Yeah, I know me too."

"Right? You know, just so I can stop worrying about it."

"Yeah..." Freddie let out a chuckle, which confused the girl before him. Weren't they talking about something serious?

"What?"

"Nothing. Its..."

"Tell me."

"Nah, it's dumb."

"Say it!"

Okay... I was just gonna say-"

Sam didn't know why she did it but she did, she interuptted the poor nub with exactly what she had been thinking. "That we should kiss?"

Freddie leant back and swallowed, "You're gonna break my arm now right?"

"No," She told him shaking her head.

"Well, should we?" Freddie shrugged. "Just so both of us can get it over with?"

Sam couldn't explain it but her heart was pounding in her chest. It was like it was punching her rib cage. "Hmm... Just to get it over with." She said as she moved towards Freddie.

"Just to get it over with," Freddie said confirming her.

"And you swear we both go right back to hating each other as soon as it's over?" Why was her heart beating so hard? Coould Freddie hear it?

"Totally. And we never tell ayone."

"Never."

The two stared at each other awkwardly for a moment. His brown eyes staring deep into her blue ones.

"Well, lean," Sam commanded.

Freddie sighed and started coming near her. Sam was sure something screwy was ging on with her heart. Maybe she was having a heart attack? She should proably stop Freddie now and head to the hospital... And then his soft, warm lip met her own meatball flavoured ones. Sam wasn't sure how to feel. She didn't exactly know what she was feeling. The first thing she noticed was that for the first time in months she did not feel at all hungry. She had no urge to go and spend every dime she had on food. She also began to think about the movie, 'The First Kiss' and how much that had made her think in the last week or so. Thing is, she tried to feel exactly what the movie had said she would feel. Fireworks. Sparks. And tingling sensation that would travel from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Anything. But no. What sam Puckett felt right there and then was, right. She felt belonging. It was like she was a puzzle piece that had just been slotted into place beside another puzzle piece. Sam closed her eys begining to get into it, but a second after she had done so, Freddie had pulled away.

His eyebrow quirked and he looked in thought. Impressed almost. Sam got up slowly, she felt robotic. "Well, that was, um..."

"Nice?" Sam offered. Even her voice was like that of a robots!

"Yeah. Nice, uh..."

"Good work."

"Thank you. You too."

She turned slowly and awkwardly back to the window and began to climb back into the warm building.

"Hey," Freddie said stopping her from getting away from what may or may not have been a trainwreck. "I hate you." Although when you hear those words they are spoken with such venom and such spite that you know the feelingtruly is that of hatred, but when Freddie Benson said them it was different. He grinned at Sam, his mood happy and his voice gentle.

Smiling now too, Sam replied, "Hate you too." And walked back down the hallway toward Carly's apartment, completely oblivous to Freddie watching her as she left.

Yes. All little girls dream of their first kiss. They all want Prince Charming to be their first kiss like in all those princess movies. A girl wants her first kiss to be memorable and to give her butterflies by just remembering it. But Sam Puckett was not like other girls. No. Her first kiss was unconventional as it was not with Prince Charming it was with her Best Frenemy on a fire escape.

But, if you look carefully in what appears to be a toad my just be your Prince Charming after all, and that was a lesson Sam Puckett would learn in the years to come.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter Eight - 2009**

**May 13th**

It had been four months since that eventful day on th fire escape. Not that Freddie had been counting or anything...

"Hi!" Carly said as she opened the door to the apartment to allow the three of them to enter.

"Hey guys. How was school?" Spencer asked as they walked through the living room.

"I got an A on my geometry test," Carly said as she went to help Spencer with some giant box he was carrying over to the kitchen table.

"I had fish sticks for lunch," Sam said as she dumped her backpack on the floor.

"Sam broke into my locker while I was in gym class and cut the sleeves off my shirt and the legs off my pants," Freddie spat. He saw the humour in this prank, sure. But, having to walk home in his cut up clothes? Not funny, what so ever.

"Why do fish sticks always make you rambunctious?" Carly asked Sam, a sweet smile playing on her pink lips.

"I think it's the tartar sauce," Sam shrugged. Freddie thought about this for a moment. She could be right... When she was younger she hated tartar sauce, and she was quite so rambunctious then.

"Your heads full of tartar sauce," Freddie snapped. He wasn't pleased. Just because she was feeling 'rambunctious' didn't mean she had to take it out on him, right?

"Watch it before I take your t-" Sam started but was cut off by Carly yelling at them to stop.

"Can we please remember we're all friends here?" Carly begged.

"This thing is not my friend," Freddie barked at Sam. If he hadn't been so angry at her he might have noticed the flash of hurt that crossed her pale face.

Carly rolled her eyes, "She is too."

"Wrong. And you are coming to my house right now, and explaining THIS to my mom!" He said, you could practically see the veins in his neck.

"Will that make you happy?" Sam asked putting on a baby voice.

"Kinda."

"Fine!" Sam spat, as she stormed back across the Shays apartment and out the door, Freddie following close behind.

"I can't believe you'd just break into my locker and violate my clothing," He grumbled. "My mom works really hard to make sure I have nice things to wear and she is not gonna be happy to find out - SAM!" Just as he had unlocked the door to let them in Sam had pushed him through and shut the door behind him. Leaving him to deal with his mother.

"Freddie!" Marissa shouted upon seeing her son in his ragged clothing.

Freddie groaned, "Mom, I can explain."

His Mom looked at him expectantly, her arms folded over her chest and her foot tapping impatiently. Freddie was unsure of what to do. If he did explain Sam would end up in trouble and his Mom would never let her over again. But if he didn't he would end up in trouble.

Freddie sighed, "The truth is, I cut up my clothes for a dare."

"Fredward Benson! What have I told you about dares?"

"That they're for morons who try to look cool when actually they just look like morons."

"Exactly! Go to your room. Leave your 'rags' by the door."

Freddie nodded and trudged towards his bedroom. The things he did for Sam.

**May 14th - 11:00am**

Although he had gotten in a heap of trouble with his Mom, by the next day Freddie had forgiven Sam and was prepared to forget about the previous days... events.

"Morning Puckett," He said as she swaggered on over to his locker.

"Sup Benson? So, how much trouble did you get in with Crazy?" She asked as she leant against the locker beside his.

Shutting his locker, he turned to her, "My Mom is not crazy."

Sam gave him a look and he sighed, "Okay, maybe she is. A little."

Sam laughed, "So what punishment did you get for arriving home in rags?"

Freddie frowned, "I got sent to my room and she took my galaxy wars memorabila, but otherwise she just lectured me on the importance of sensible clothes."

"Hmmm, I thought once you told her I did it she would have called my Mom and wigged out."

Freddie didn't answer and Sam's eyes widened, "You didn't tell her it was me did you?"

"No, I didn't," He stated before walking away.

Sam hurried after him, "Well, why not?"

Freddie ignored her and kept walking, until he spotted Mr Howard holding what appeared to be some sort of poster and a megaphone. Sam stopped beside him still wanting to question him but also interested in what Mr Howard was doing with a megaphone.

"Okay, listen up. I am going to post the sign up board for the 'School at Sea' drawing. If you are interested then sign your name and one of you little demons will get to spend the next six months pretending to study on a cruise around the world," He clicked off the megaphone and pinned the board on the wall beside the water fountain. "There. I want you all to form a neat, single file line -" They didn't get to hear the rest of the sentence for the man was bombared by a large group of teenagers, fighting to get their names on the board first. "ANIMALS!"

Freddie and Sam watched as chaos unleashed around the board. "Man, I wanna win that 'School at Sea' cruise so bad!" Freddie told her.

"Bad enough to penetrate that freakish mob?" She asked him.

Freddie pulled out his lucky pen and handed his bag to Sam, "I'm going in." And with that he charged towards the crowd and let loose a 'dorky' battle cry.

As he fought to get to the front, his mind wasn't really in it. He was actually thinking about all the things he'd miss if he did win the cruise.

He'd miss his Mom. Gosh, he couldn't even imagine his life with out his Mom. She was always there, night and day. Without fail. She was the one constant in his life, besides Sam of course. Then there was Carly. The 'Love of his life'. The girl he wanted to spend the rest of his days with. And what if he went away and she met some guy, fell in love with said guy, and forgot all about him. Huh? What was he supposed to do then? And obviously he'd miss Spencer and Gibby. Even if he did win, he'd also have to help Sam and Carly find a new technical producer for iCarly. And finally, there was Sam. Sam, his best friend. God, what would he do without her? He'd probably be brusied a lot less, and would have fewer detentions. Though in Sam's defence she'd didn't bruise him that bad, and heck! He'd only had a handful of detentions because of her... No! If he allowed himself to think like that, he'd start to care like before, and he'd just end up hurt again.

He was soon at the board, he quickly scrawled his name down and then crawled back on the floor and out of the mob. "Gah!" He groaned as he climbed to his feet.

The mob had really wrecked his clothes. His hair was a mess and his shirt looked so untidy. He shrugged it off and moved his arm to shake the pain in his shoulder. He noticed now that Sam was accompanied by Carly and Carly's friend Missy. He ignored the two girls and made his way to Sam, "I got my name on the list," He said in slight disbelief. Sam chucked him his bag and he turned to look back at the mob. "Animals." He kept on walking away from the girls, he barely realized he was limping thanks to the jerk who had kicked him while he was crawling on the ground through the crowd.

**6:50pm**

Freddie was setting up the camera for the nights iCarly when Sam entered the studio hugging a waste basket to her chest and practically coughing up a lung.

"Whoa, you look horrible," Freddie commented as Sam got closer.

"I'm sick," She hacked. "I feel like butt."

Freddie grimaced as she continued coughing.

She really didn't look that good, "Remember that time you dared me to lick the swing set?"

"No. I said 'Sam don't lick the swing set'. Then you said, 'Don't you tell me what to say Benson', then you licked the swing set."

"Whatever. I'm even sicker now than I was then," Gosh, she sounded like she was gonna cry. Freddie hated it when Sam cried, but instead of bursting into tears, Sam burst into another coughing fit. "Missy gave me rancid chocolate."

"Why would she do that?," He asked, crossing the room to his Tech cart.

"Cause she's tryin' to get rid of me!" Sam yelled/coughed.

So Sam was jealous. Part of Freddie, the cruel part of him, wanted to laugh in her face and yell, "Well, now you know how I felt. Now you know what I went through! How I was replaced!" but he didn't. Why? Because although he hated that he did, Freddie cared about Sam and did not have the heart to push her while she was down. So instead he said, "Oh come on, why would she do that?" He walked back over to his 'friend?'

Sam grabbed his shirt and pulled forward, so he was face to face with her. "Look at the facts! She sent me to a piñata factory," She coughed and spluttered in his face. "She wahoo'd my phone and she gave me rancid Pursian choc - agh-he-eh - late."

Freddie cringed as he felt droplets of Sam's spit hit his face.

Sam shoved him away coughing, "She's out to get me."

Freddie straightened his shirt and walked over to his laptop. Was Sam lying? She did seem awfully sure that Missy was trying to 'kill' her. Freddie din't have chance to say anything as Carly and Missy showed up, therefore ending his conversation with Sam.

"Hey guys," Carly said, with a smile on her face and a skip in her step. "Who's ready for a little iCarl -" She was cut off by Sam's coughing. "Ew! Sam you look horrible."

"I've heard," Sam groaned.

"Did you lick another swing set?" Carly demanded.

"No."

"Well, what happened?" Missy asked, looking at Sam with... concern?

Sam glared at her threateningly, "Like you don't know." Before once again starting up another coughing fit.

"Alright, there's no way you can do iCarly tonight," Carly told her.

"I can do the show. I'll be fi - Oh man." Sam ran off into the back room, and Freddie and the girls could hear her gagging from the main room. "Ugh, that's not pretty." Freddie grimaced, part of him feeling sorry for her, though he couldn't help but think that this was just karma getting back at her for tormenting him yesterday. Sam came out of the back room a look of disgust gracing her pretty features. "Does anyone have a mint?"

Freddie's laptop beeped, telling him they needed to start iCarly now. "Guys, thirty seconds to show."

"C'mon, in five, four - " Sam fell to the floor coughing.

"Alright that's it, we're cancelling the show," Carly said crouching down beside Sam as Freddie walked over to help Sam up.

"No," Sam argued.

"D'you want me to do the show?" Missy asked excitedly.

Carly turned to the red head, "Would you?"

This just set Sam off once more, "I can do it!" Although she was trying to act strong, she sounded so broken. It almost broke Freddie's heart to see her like this. Almost.

"You're to sick! Now go down stairs and lie down on the couch," Carly instructed.

Sam gave a few more pathetic coughs but she reluctantly made her way out of the studio.

"I'll be down as soon as the shows over to take care of you," Carly called after her. "You know what to do?" She asked Missy.

"Sure, I've seen iCarly a bunch of times."

Carly and Missy positioned themselves infront of the camera and Freddie got ready to start the show. "Ready? In five, four, three, two."

"I'm Carly!"

"I'm Missy!"

"And this is iCarly!" The girls said in unison.

"Sam isn't feeling well tonight."

"But no worries the show must on."

Carly pushed a button on Sam's remote and a voice blared, "RANDOM DANCING!" The music started up and the show was soon in full swing, but Freddie couldn't help but feel like witout Sam there was no point in the show. Sure, Missy was kinda cute like Carly, but that was just it. Missy was another Carly and it didn't work. At least not for the show. iCarly was made up of Sam and Carly, to polar opposites who some how made it work. But now there were two Carly's and the show wasn't working as well as it did with Sam. Missy was an unfunny version of Carly.

**May 15th - 4:23pm**

"Freddie bear! Will you get the door? I'm trying to sleep," Marissa asked her son from her bedroom.

"Yeah," He sighed, gettnig up from his comfy position on the couch. He walked over to the door and opened it to reveal Sam. "Um, hi?" He wasn't sure what to do. Invite her in, send her away...?

"Can we talk?" She asked, though she sounded a little unsure of herself.

"Uh... yeah. Sure," He stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him. "What's up?"

"Missy's trying to get rid of me."

Freddie groaned, "Not this again!"

"I was right though! We were at the Groovy Smoothie, Carly went to go get smoothies and then Missy was all 'Carly was my best friend first and I'm taking her back'"

"I don't believe you," Freddie told her bluntly.

"Okay one more time. 'Carly was my best friend first and I'm taking her back'" Sam said in her 'best' Missy impression.

"There's no way Missy said that," Freddie couldn't believe her. Sure, Missy may not have been the funniest of people, but she was a lot like Carly, and Carly was way to sweet, nice, and innocent to ever do something like that. Therefore, Missy would never do something like that, right?

"She did!" Sam said desperate for Freddie to believe her.

"You know, maybe Carly's right. Maybe you're just jealous of Missy."

Sam looked hurt, and this look, for some reason, made Freddie's stomach tie itself up in knots. "Okay, just forget it." The hurt was even evident in her voice. "Don't believe me." The knots tied themselves tighter and tighter, all seeming to be pulling themselves in different directions. Sam gave him a fleeting look and walked away.

"Tell me one reason why I should believe you?" He said loudly.

He listened to the sound of her footsteps as they returned. The blonde looked him directly in the eye, with her hurt filled, icy blue eyes and said, "Cause I came here."

Freddie shrugged as though this meant nothing to him, when in reality those words had already begun making their affect.

"Have I ever come to you for help before?" She asked. "For anything?"

No. Not really. Unless you count homework when we were kids.

He licked his lips, wondering what to say next but before he had chance to open his mouth she walked away from him, leaving him standing alone in the hallway feeling like a complete jerk.

He sighed and turned back to his apartment. He turned the door knob only to discover he was locked out. "Oh no. No! No! No! No!" He groaned pulling the door handle. "OH! Butter!" He gave the door one last whack before turning and sinking down to the ground and processing the conversation he had just had with Sam.

**May 16th - 12:41pm**

"Austria," Carly said dumbly, as she pointed to the textbook that Freddie and she were sharing betwen them.

Freddie looked closer at the print, "Australia."

"Oh same thing," She frowned.

"Okay Benson, you are too nice," Freddie looked up to see Wendy stood in front of the bench he and Carly were sat on.

"Huh?"

"Why?" Carly asked, itching to find out what Freddie had done. "What'd he do?"

"You know that 'School at Sea' contest last week?" Wendy explained.

"Yeah?"

Realisation as to what Wendy was talking about hit Freddie like a freight train. OH No! Carly could not find out about this! "Uh... Wendy."

"What?" Carly asked getting up with Freddie.

"Uh... Bye Wendy," Freddie said waving the girl away, hoping she'd catch on to the fact that he didn't want Carly to know.

Unfotunately Wendy was oblivious. "Freddie won it."

"No. No, I didn't," He said shaking his head like Wendy was insane.

"Yeah you did," Wendy said confused.

"No. Missy Robinson won it," Carly told her.

"Noooo. Freddie won it and then he told Principal Franklin he wanted to give it to Missy," Freddie groaned inwardly. Wendy got closer and he squeezed his eyes shut as if in pain, she grabbed his cheek and coo'ed "Sweet boy," Before leaving him to clean up the mess she had just created for him.

Carly turned to him a smirk making it's way to her glossy lips, "You gave up that cool trip just to get rid of Missy."

"I was protecting iCarly," He lied lamely.

"No. You care about Sam."

Freddie sighed in defeat, "Well, she was really upset..."

"And you said Sam wasn't your friend."

"Yeah whatever."

"Yeah whatever," Carly mimicked in her 'Freddie' voice, as she poked him playfully in the ribs.

"Ahh stop," He said batting her hands away, though he couldn't help but smile. He picked up his bag and vented to Carly, "I just hate that that nasty Missy gets to live it up on a six month cruise."

Carly collected her things and nodded in agreement, "I know. Well, when we were little she used to get really sea sick, but she probably got over that..."

"Too bad."

**11:37pm**

Freddie lay awake later that night thinking about the sacrafice he had made for Sam. He had given up a six month cruise. He picked up the leaflet Principal Franklin had handed him. It advertised the cruise itself.

Had Freddie gone he would have been attending 'Seven Seas High' for the next six months aboard the S.S Tipton a luxury cruise liner. The ship featured a grand dining room, gym, ballroom, bar, swimming pool, hot tub, bingo room, lifeboats, and stroll deck like many other ships. The ship's passenger capacity was about 2,000 people. The ship's weight was at least 87,000 tons and it was 13 stories high above sea level. The ship also had the largest shopping center ever floating. The ship was around 250-300 meters long and ìt drove on heating water which means it was environmental friendly. Just the thought of it made Freddie want to drool.

But he had given it all up for Sam. His 'Ex-bestfriend'.

Freddie tossed the brochur across the room and rolled over onto his stomach. What were he and Sam now anyway?

Although he would deny it he couldn't (or he could) ignore the longing feeling he felt when he thought of the way their friendship used to be. He missed it. No doubt about that. He just didn't know how to get it back...


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: For the millionth time... I OWN NOTHING! You'd think you'd have caught on to that by now -_-**

**AN: One quick thing, I kinda screwed up the chapter numbers and I'd just like to point out this is chapter ten! Okay? Alrighty, on with the story :D**

**Chapter Ten - 2009**

**June 25th**

"Move!" Sam said, shoving some kids out of the way as she barged down the stairs in a hurry. Her blonde hair smacking innocent bystanders in the face as she ran. "Get out of my way!" Finally after running half way across the school, Sam had found the people she had been looking for. Carly and Freddie. "Oh man, you guys aren't gonna believe this."

"Your mom got a job?" Freddie smirked. Had Sam not been in such a good mood she probably would have punched him for that one. It wasn't like her mom could help not having a job, she was going thorugh a rough patch after all, one in which she'd so far pulled a Ginger Fox and shaved off all her hair.

"Okay, let's not get crazy," Sam said calming down.

"What happened?" Carly said jumping in excitedly, in the hopes of stopping a possible fight.

Sam's mind flicked back to the task at hand and she jumped up on the balls of her feet, excitement flowing out of her, "Richard Whites is moving to Switzerland!"

"Really?"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Carly said, slowing her down and grabbing her arm to pull Sam's attention on her. "Richard Whites has locker 239..."

"Had baby! Had!"

"Hey, you got any lotion?" Gibby asked, recieving an odd look from Sam and a slap to the stomach.

"So locker 239's available?" Freddie said returning them back to their conversation.

"Yep!" Sam could hardly contain her happiness.

"In the middle of a school year?"

"First time ever!"

"That's insane!"

The iCarly came in close togther, babbling happily about it amongst themselves, and without noticing it block Gibby out.

Gibby, couldn't quite understand the excitment over this. After all, Richard had been their friend, why would they be happy he was leaving? Especially over a dumb locker. "What's the big deal about locker 239?"

"What?"

"Dude..."

"It's the best locker in the whole school," Carly explained.

"Why?"

Sam snorted, "First of all it's huge."

"Huge?"

Freddie jumped in to explain, "See when they were building Ridgeway, some worker screwed up and ordered a locker that's four times the size of a regular locker."

"That's huge!"

"And it's right next to a big window."

"A locker with a view."

"And the cheerleaders walk right past it on their way to practice," Freddie said, his cocky smirk coming back into view.

"A locker with a view," The look on Gibby's face told them he was imagining the 'smokin' hot' cheerleaders walking by him everyday.

"Oh yeah," Freddie said, the same image cropping up in his mind also.

"Right, like cheerleaders wanna view the two of you," Sam said, scrunching her nose at the thought of Freddie and Gibby with cheerleader girlfriends. Even the thought made her wanna puke.

Carly, now bored of this conversation, changed the focus back to locker 239, "So when do we find out who get's the locker?"

"This week. Principal Franklin's gonna have some kinda contest," Sam explained.

"Carly. Carly Shay," Mr Howard growled as he walked over to the group.

"Yeah?"

"Wearing a turtle-neck is a violation of school rules."

"Oh, I can't wear a turtle-neck but he can be shirtless?" The brunette said, gesturing to Gibby.

"Check the handbook," Gibby said cockily as he handed her the school handbook.

Sam could laugh, Carly get's written up for wearing a turtle-neck yet half the stuff she does goes unnoticed by the faculty. Some it didn't quite seem fair, yet Sam wasn't going to question it and risk getting herself in trouble.

"We should um... get to class," Freddie said dragging Sam away by the elbow whilst Calry, gibby and Mr Howard flicked through the school handbook.

"What'd you do that for?" Sam grumbled, shoving Freddie's hand away from her arm.

"Because by the loook on your face I could tell you were about to say something and risk getting yourself in trouble. Besides if you get detention tonight , that means I'm stuck doing our history project by myself, again."

Sam rolled her eyes, "Yeah, like I'm gonna be any help with that project."

Freddie shook his head, but chose not to argue with her. It wasn't worth the hastle.

"Anyways, Fredpants, what class we gots now?" She asked, opening her bag and pulling out her morning fat cake.

"English. And as usual I'm assuming you haven't done the homework for that either?"

"We had homework?"

"Uh yeah, we were supposed to analyse the extract from Macbeth."

"We're doing Macbeth?"

"Ms Briggs is gonna kill you."

Sam shrugged, "Nothing new there then."

"Sam this isn't funny. You can't carry on not doing your homework. If you do you're gonna fail English this semester, and then what're you gonna do."

Sam didn't answer, she just kept on eating her fat cake.

Freddie sighed in defeat, he could not change Sam nor could he make her do anything she did not wish to do. Years of experience showed that.

**June 26th**

"Just look at it," Sam said, staring at the brilliant blue locker before her with longing.

"Oh, I need that locker," Freddie said with an equally dreamy look on his face

"Just standing next to it makes me feel like a princess," She said, before taking an abnormally large bite out of an abnormally large salami. "Salami?" She offered.

Freddie smiled, "No thanks Princess Puckett." the familiar name sent a slight blush to Sam's cheeks. Boy-o-boy had it been a while since he'd last called her that, but it was just as wondeful as the first time he had.

_**July 14th 2000**_

_"Sam! Freddie's here!" Pam Puckett called. Moments later a small blonde girl by the name of Sam came bounding down the stairs excitedly a huge grin on her face._

_"Let him in! Let him in!" Sam squealed, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. _

_Pam laughed and opened the door to reveal Marissa Benson and her only son, Freddie. "Morning Sam," Marissa smiled. "Thanks for having Freddie over today Pam. But I've gotta go see Jennifer, she's freaking out because her latest boyfriend doesn't seem to understand her hints at marriage," The red headed woman rolled her eyes and Pam nodded in understanding. _

_"Don't worry, I'll take care of him."_

_Marissa bent down and kissed Freddie softly on the head, "Behave for Ms Puckett Fredward."_

_"Yes, mommy. I love you," He beamed up at her._

_"Love you too sweetie," She ruffled his hair once, smiled at Pam and then headed back out into the rainy Seattle weather._

_After instructing the kids on what they could and could not do Pam settled down in the living room to watch the latest episode of 'America Sings', leaving Freddie and Sam to their own devices._

_"Come on, we can go play in my room," Sam smiled, leading the way up the stairs and into her brightly coloured room._

_Freddie jumped up and sat on Sam's bed whilst Sam got out their favourite boardgame - Battle-Boggle-opoly. See a year ago, back when Melanie was still around, the three, Sam, Freddie and Melanie had faught over what game to play. I had ended up with bunch of different game pieces being broken and so after sticking everything together a new game was invented 'Battle-Boggle-opoly'. The two began setting up the game and talked about pointless things whilst they did so._

_"How was your play date with Nate?" Freddie asked as he passed Sam a chance card._

_Sam shrugged, "Boring. He was a skeeze."_

_"SAM!"_

_"What? My mom uses that word all the time."_

_"So? It's rude to call someone that."_

_"It's the truth though, and you told me I'm not supposed to lie."_

_"Well, yeah. But, still. Why'd you call him a sk- you know what?"_

_"Because he was. He wanted to play doctor."_

_Freddie face crinkled up in disgust. His mother had told him to never ever play doctor, and as he got older she explained carefully and cautiously why. "Gross. Did you tell your mom?"_

_"Didn't have to. I punched him and his Mom was quick to make sure I was gone."_

_Freddie smiled, that was his Sam!_

_Half way through the game Sam became bored, "I don't wanna play anymore."_

_"That's only cause I'm winning."_

_"No you're not, clearly I'm winning. I'm just being nice and calling it a draw now to spare your feelings."_

_Freddie rolled his eyes but relucatntly gave in. "Fine, what'd you wanna do instead?"_

_"Let's play dress up!" Sam grinned. Her Mom had recently bought her a new prioncess dress in an attempt to get her to stop punching people (E.G. Nate) and although Sam had scowled at it at the time, she did actually want to try it on and play._

_"What're you gonna be this time?" Freddie asked as she walked over to her closet to drag out her costume box._

_"A princess," She explained as she pulled out the beautiful blue dress. "What about you?"_

_Freddie shurgged, "A wizard?"_

_"Nah, if I was a witch then maybe but I'm a princess which means you've gotta be my prince."_

_"A prince? Do you even have a costume for that?"_

_"I'll check," Sam dug further into her box. "Here. You can wear these." She threw a black waistcoat that was about ten sizes too big for him and a plastic crown at him._

_"Ow! Sam!"_

_"Sorry! Just get changed already, I wanna play!"_

_"Okay, okay!" _

_The pair changed quickly, Freddie putting his waistcoat on over his shirt and sorting out his crown in Sam's mirror, whilst Sam hurried off to the bathroom to get changed. Three minutes later she was back and demanding Freddie do up the back of her dress. Once they were done, the game began._

_"Okay, what's your name gonna be?" Sam asked Freddie._

_Freddie shrugged, "I don't know."_

_"Freddie! You have to say it in character."_

_"Fine! What do you think I should be called Princess Puckett?"_

_Sam beamed, "Princess Puckett?"_

_Freddie nodded, "It's not to daffodil-y but it's still you."_

_Sam blushed and quickly started their game of pretend. _

_The pair played make believe for hours until they tired out and sat down at Sam's bedroom window. _

_"That was fun," Freddie said breathlessly as he sat down beside Sam. He'd just been saved by Sam from a terrifying dragon and she'd made him run up and down her room at least six times. _

_"Yeah," She smiled. "But it's not over."_

_"What d'you mean?" Freddie asked, dreading the moment she said he had to do more running._

_"The prince and princess have to have their happily ever after."_

_"How are we supposed to do that?"_

_"Well, what if Princess Puckett 'dies' and then you have to save her with a hug?" Now Sam knew that the princess was always saved with a kiss but to Sam the thought of kissing was just gross, and Freddie agreed._

_Freddie nodded and stepped aside for Sam to 'die'._

_"Prince help!" Sam yelled dramatically before throwing herself to the ground._

_"Princess Puckett!" Freddie wailed, playing along. "Oh no! Wake up! Wake up! How am I supposed to save you? You can't die, you just saved me from a dragon, the least I can do is save you from... death." And with that Freddie wrapped his arms around Sam and picked her up._

_"Oh my gosh! I'm alive!" Sam laughed happily._

_The game came to and end and the two fell into giggles on Sam's bed._

_"Thanks for saving me Freddie," Sam smiled pulling Freddie in for a thank you hug._

_"No problem, Princess Puckett," Freddie said, wrapping his arms around her small body and kissing her on the cheek._

**Present Day**

Sam was pushed out of her revere by Carly showing up, "What a locker." It's funny how there were tons of people around but the only person to break through Sam's memories was Carly.

"I know," Sam and Freddie said in unison, both still gazing longingly at the locker ahead.

"It makes me feel sad for lesser lockers."

"I could fit a whole editting bay in there," Freddie said, causing Sam to roll her eyes mentally, figures, a nub like him would think of something as stupid as that.

"You could fit a body in there," It was a second or two after saying this before Sam noticed her two friends staring at her. "If one needed to," She corrected.

"Tesing. One, two tesing," The crowd turned upon hearing Principal Franklin fumble around with the microphone. "Microphone. Microphone. Microphone. Micro - Alright, students, as you know we're having a contest to see which lucky one of you will get locker 239." The crowd cheered at this. "Okay, settle down. Settle down. Now as you can see, this large glass tank contains many induvidually wrapped fatcakes."

"FATCAKES YEAH!" Sam roared. Sam looked around to see everyone staring at her and she soon regretted her little, outburst.

Principal Franklin sighed, knowing this was just something Sam did. "Now, the student who guesses closest to the exact number of fat cakes in this tank wins locker 239." Some in crowd began humming with talk on how exactly they, they being the induviduals in the group, was gonna win, whilst other let out another cheer. Sam refrained from either, still feeling embarassed about her previous outburst. "Gibby, you have a question?"

"Yes," Gibby said, stepping out of the crowd so Principal Franklin could see him better. "How many fat cakes are in that tank?"

"Oh gibby, there's so much not right about you," Principal Franklin stated, and Sam couldn't help but agree with him. "Alright, take a look at the tank, and write down your name and your guess on one of these blue cards and drop it into the decorative box."

Sam moved forward to collect a blue card. She looked at the tank for all of ten seconds whilst Freddie rattled on about the method he was gonna use to callculate the number of fat cakes. "I got it."

"Oh right?" Freddie groaned.

"You already have your guess?" Carly laughed in disbelief.

Sam snorted, "It's not a guess. I got the answer."

"How?" Freddie asked, she knew he wouldn't believe her.

"Mama knows her fat cakes."

"Come on you can't figure it out without some kind of method," Freddie argued.

Carly looked at them, a disturbed look on her face, "Gibby has a method."

Turning arund Sam saw Gibby, shirtless (What's new there?) rubbing himself up and down against the glass tank.

"Gibby? What're you doing?" Sam asked, because in all honesty this was even weirder than... well, anything.

"My thang!" Gibby said waggling his eyebrows.

**June 26th**

The next morning Sam arrived bright and early ready for Principal Franklin to announce her as the winner of locker 239, after all 'Mama knows her fat cakes.'

"I hold in my hand, the name of the lucky student who will get locker 239!" Principal Franklin spoke.

"Where's Carly?" Sam asked, leaning closer to Freddie.

"She over slept this morning shh!"

'Wow, Freddie must really be eager to find out who won, if he was willing to pass up talking about Carly', Sam thought.

"Now, before I announce the winner, I feel compelled to tell you the worst guess," Principal Franklin smiled out at the students, and as Sam listened to Gibby chant, "Please be Gibby, Please be Gibby" over and over she had a strong feeling she knew who's guess it was. "Which was, five."

"I won!" Gibby yelled. "I WON!"

"No Gibby," Principal Franklin said, stopping the boy from removing his shirt. "You didn't win. In fact your guess was so far off we're calling your parents and having you tested."

"Again?" Gibby asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Sam couldn't help but feel sorta sorry for the kid, after all not even she'd been tested, and apparently they were testing Gibby 'again'. So, in a slight attempt to draw the attention away from the hurt Gibby Sam shouted, "Say the winner!"

"The winner of locker 239 is Freddie Benson," Principal Franklin smiled.

"YES!" Freddie yelled victoriously, jumping up and pumping his fist in the air. "Up top," He said, as he began high fiving random members of the crowd.

"Freddie's guess was exactly correct, two thousand seven hundered eighteen fat cakes."

"HA! In your face you blonde headed demon!" Freddie gloated.

Sam did not move she did not say anything, because to be honest she was rather wazzed. Why? Because her guess was -

"Ah, hang on a second," Principal Franklin said.

"Huh?" Freddie answered, his victory happiness ceasing.

"It seems another student has also guessed the number correctly."

Sam smirked and walked over to Freddie, placing her hand on his shoulder. This was gonna be goooood!

"Oh no," Freddie groaned as realisation hit him like Sam's fist.

"And the other winner, who will share locker 239 with Freddie, is... Sam Puckett!"

"OW!" Sam cried as she began her victory dancing, "Oh yeah! Sam's a winner! Puckett is a winner yet again Freward," And with that she pushed him to the ground as to add insult to injury or rather injury to insult. "Told ya Mama knows fat cakes."

The boy just never seems to learn.

**June 27th - 8:15am**

Another day in which Sam had gotten up early to arrive at school, only this time it was with the intention of annoying Freddie. It didn't take Sam long to set up her latest 'Freddie irritant' and after that it took even less time to attract a crowd. And soon Freddie arrived, at which point the 'party' was in full swing. the crowd was dancing and laughing, and Sam was playing 'Guitar God' alongside some kid in the grade below.

"Okay, what is going on?" Freddie said, frustration clear in his voice.

"Not now," Sam growled, shoving him out of the way. After all, she was on a roll with this whole Guitar God thing. "SUPER SOLO!"

In fact she was so into the game she barely even noticed Freddie step forward and pause the game.

"Dude! What up?"

"What did you do to my locker?"

"My locker."

"Our locker!"

"When did you turn into my wife?" Sam sneered. Though she would never admit it out loud, the thought of being married to Freddie... wasn't a bad one. Not a bad one at all.

"Sam -" He began but she cut him off.

"I made it into a little hang out."

"You're gonna get us in trouble," He reasoned.

"Check out what I did," She laughed, not paying attention to a word he was saying. She pulled out a remote from her pocket pushed a button and the speakers in the locker blared, "RANDOM DANCING!"

"Sam," Freddie said in an attempt to get her attention but she ignored him and danced around him, encouraging others to join in. "Sam. Sam!"

It was at that moment a random student yelled, "TEACHER!"

At that moment everyone scarped not wanting a detention. Sam handed Freddie the remote as he stood there rooted to the spot.

_This day just get's better and better _She thought smirking to herself, as she ran off down the hallway.

**3:12pm**

Sam walked down the hall smriking to herself, all the while working on her next scheme to irritate Freddie. It would have to be something big. Something that would make the veins in his neck pop out.

"Hey."

Sam turned to see Freddie standing beside their locker. Sam almost laughed, so he couldn't open it, huh? Well good!

"I can't get our locker open," He said, stating the obvious.

"I know. I changed the combination."

"Why?"

"I thought it might irritate you."

"Okay, that's it. I can't share this locker with you anymore," He said.

Is this what she wanted all along? Did she really want to go as far as to get rid of the boy? After all, this was the only time she really saw him, just him and her. "Look, why don't we talk about this later okay?"

As she began walking away, he stopped her. Looking back on it she could have carried on walking, but this was Freddie, and she wanted to spend as much time as she could with him, especially since she could have been dead not long after. "No, why don't we talk about this -"

"Dude! My mom just had laser eye surgery this afternoon and she's coming to pick me up, so I gotta get outside,"

To Sam this was something completely normal, though to anyone else it just sounded dangerous. "This won't take long. I am prepared to offer yo - Wait, your mom had laser eye surgery today and she's driving a car?" Freddie said flabbergasted.

Sam shrugged. Clearly the boy knew nothing of her life these days, "I didn't say she makes good decisions."

"And you're getting in the car with her?"

"I didn't say I make good decisions," Admitedly even Sam knew how dangerous this could be but then again, she had a thirst for danger and thrilling experiences. It was in her blood.

Freddie scoffed and began thumbing through a wad of cash he'd had in his bag.

"Now what about this offer?" Sam asked.

"Oh yeah. I am prepared to offer you two hundered bucks," He said holding out the money. "For your half of the locker."

Sam didn't even need to wonder where he'd got the money from, ever since he was a little kid Freddie had been real tight about spending his money. The nub saved penny after penny. Of course, if Sam had wanted something, she was always the exception. Sam snorted, "Done." Easy money.

As she began to wakl away she knew Freddie would follow, "Done?"

She turned to look at him, making no attempt to hide the now obvious smirk on her pink lips, "Yeah, why?"

"Well, I thought you'd ask for more?" Freddie said seemingly shocked. His voice sounded different too, it was like he believed in that moment they'd slip into their old ways again, but even if they had it wouldn't last long. Things change.

"I've been missing having a locker next to Carly's so I was gonna give you that one anyway," The blonde lied. Okay, so that statement was only halft true, indeed she had missed Carly but at the same time sharing a locker with Freddie was an advantage. It meant she could prank him easily. I meant she could copy is homework before class. And it also meant they could actually have a small conversation without the threat of having to argue hanging over their heads.

"Well, if you were gonna give me the locker anyway then I want my money back!" Freddie exclaimed.

At that moment there was a screech of car tyres and in came a car crashing through the wall, straight into locker 239. Sam dived towards the wall closest to her in order to sheild herself from flying pieces of locker and window. Other students who had been lobbying about in the hallway screamed and dashed away, whilst Freddie ran towards Sam and pressed her hard against the wall, almost as if he were protecting her...

"Beep! Beep!"

"There's my mom now," Sam expalined upon recognising her Mom's beat up 1980s station wagon. The fact that a compact Japanese car of that period could do that much damage to a school building that was built in the early-20th Century didn't say much for the construction of the school itself. She removed herself from Freddie's, surprisingly warm and comfortable, grasp, and made her way to the car. "Nice driving Mom!" She called. Shoving the rubble out of the way sam opened the trunk of the car and climbed in. She waved Freddie's cash and smirked, "Later." and with that her Mom drove off leaving Freddie and what was left of locker 239 behind in the dust.

**11:56pm**

Sam lay in bed that night, and smiled in her recap of todays events. Considering the amount of annoyance she had caused her friend she was pretty darn proud, and she'd gotten two hundered bucks out of it! She looked over to the tin box on her chest of drawers in which she kept all her cash. Now she was up to something like six hundred dollars, give or take. How had Sam saved it? You might ask. Well, when you spend everybody's money (Namely Freddie's) except your own, you begin to save up a hefty amount of your own cash. What with finding it and racking up her allowance every month.

So today would be labelled a success in her mind. The only thing left to do tonight was to begin planning her next prank on the poor nub. When she had become friends with Freddie, no one had ever informed him of the consequences that came with being Samantha Puckett's friend. Sam, of course, was thankful for this, as it created plenty of entertainment for her. Though, sometimes, when it was late on nights much like tonight for instance, Sam lay in bed and wondered what life would be like for her and Freddie had Carly never entered the picture...


End file.
